You are the Moon for Which I have to Howl
by Airlia Asariel Sangwuine
Summary: "It was funny how I'd never had anyone before..." Damon has finally found a woman who completes him, but gives her up to protect her from Klaus. Starts at Episode 2.13 2.14. Damon/OC
1. Prologue

******Author****'s note: This is a Damon/OC pairing. First four chapters are done. Please enjoy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

It was funny how I'd never had anyone before….. I hadn't had Katherine and I never had a chance to be with Elena. But now I had someone… And I had broken her heart. I'd told her she meant nothing to me to protect her. I couldn't tell her that that was the reason either, because if I did, Klaus would kill her…. I could handle her hating me until the day she was cold in the ground, but I couldn't handle her being dead because of my love for her.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Chapter 1 is all from Damon's P.O.V the few 3 chapters after this are from either his or Asariel's pov. I don't own anything except the plot for this story and Asariel. That is it!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

No one had seen me this happy…. No one except Stefan and the last time he had seen me happy was before our mother had died when we were young. I faked happiness after that. But now, I was happy again, acting as if I had never met Katherine. Elena was starting to get curious and had started asking Stefan questions, but he was trying to keep it secret from her. She didn't need to know that I was with one of her closest friends.

"She's starting to ask questions, Damon.. I think the two of you need to come out about your relationship to her. If she finds out on her own, all hell will break loose." Stefan said staring at me.

"It's none of Elena's business who I am with considering she is with you, Stefan. She picked you." I said before walking out of the Salvatore boarding house. I headed straight for Asariel's place.

I sat in my car for a few hours before Asariel arrived at the house she lived in with her mother. I slipped from the car to see her grabbing bags from the backseat of her Escape.

"If you're gonna stand outside of your car, would you at least help me with all of this food?" Asariel asked giggling. I shook my head as she turned to look at me. She was giggling like crazy. "I swear you could always just run here and sneak up on me."

"Your mother would have a fit over it. She'd wonder how I was getting here." I answered grabbing some of the bags. "So what's with all the food?"

"Well, I'm having a party tomorrow night and I need lots of goodies for the people to eat." Asariel said calmly. "I hope you brought blood bags because I can't be having you sucking on my neck all night tonight. I have to be up in the morning and get the house cleaned."

"Awww, no fun tonight?" I asked as I put the bags down on the counter in the kitchen.

Asariel giggled and kissed me lightly on the lips before she began putting food away. My eyes never left her body as I watched her move around the kitchen. I was completely in love with her, though I'd never mentioned it to Stefan or her. I'd never actually told her that I loved her since we had started seeing each other. I didn't want to tell her and then have Klaus kill her to get at all of us. Because Asariel was also close to Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline. If Klaus even knew, he would easily kill Asariel without even thinking about it.

"No fun tonight, _but_ I promise that you can have me Saturday as long as you stay and help with clean up." Asariel's blonde hair fell over her shoulders, the layers in it showing easily. "Deal?"

"Deal," I said bringing my hands up to her hair. "I hope you're inviting me to this party, because if you aren't you're going to be in big trouble."

"Damon, this isn't a social party for once… This is for my demo."

Those words practically crushed me. This wasn't a social party….. She was trying to see if a record label would actually even come to listen to her sing. I saw the large gazebo in their backyard through the French doors off of the kitchen. The sound system was set up there, along with a band. She could tell I wasn't happy.

"Damon, you can come. I want you there since Mom won't be here. I need someone here who I know is going to love my music."

_I don't love your music, Asariel_, I wanted to say to her. _I love you_. The words never would come out of my mouth. It was like I had shut off the ability to say them when my mother died. I smiled gently showing her I wasn't angry that she had just now mentioned the party to me.

"I'll be here. Actually, I'll go home and get my clothes and then come back here. That way I can help you clean up and everything." I said before I kissed her. "Why don't you come with me?"

That's when I remembered that Elena and the girls were staying over at the house tonight because of the whole Klaus situation. Asariel must have already known since she didn't answer and started pulling a cookbook out from the shelf above the microwave. She was already checking her ingredients for whatever she was planning on fixing for her party tomorrow evening.

"I'm just gonna run home real quick and get some clothes and some bags. I'll be back in a little bit." I said and her attention honed in on me.

"Dress nice.. And I don't mean just a sports jacket and a nice polo. Business dress please?"

"I'll have to borrow one of Stef's ties." My eyes stared into hers. "What color would you prefer?"

"I'll be wearing a sea blue dress so anything that compliments that." She answered coming over to me. "Come back quick, because I might just surprise you with a present."

"Mmmm, sounds nice." I said pressing a light kiss to her lips. I could tell she was smiling as I walked away from her.

In all honesty, my meeting Asariel was not exactly planned. I hadn't meant to end up running into her at the Grill, my stupid ass drunk, and ask her on a date. But it was probably the best mistake I had ever made. We had a nice time having dinner together. After we'd finished dinner, we ended up walking around Mystic Falls for a little bit before I had to take her home. Every date after that became more and more amazing, until she cut herself when we were at her house. She was cooking for the two of us when it happened. I had tried to hide it from her but I ended up taking her finger in my mouth and I started to lick the blood off of it. She'd put two and two together and had confronted me about it. I told her the truth, ready for her to reject me, but it never came. She was actually quite turned on by it. The only reason I knew that was because she ended up letting me feed on her.

I pulled up to the boarding house as I was remembering some of my fondest memories with Asariel and quietly made my way inside. I was able to grab my clothes & a few bags of blood without having Stefan or Elena see me. I knew Stefan wouldn't ask questions, but Elena would. She was probably freaking out as it was. I didn't make it out of the house without her spotting me though. I had to use my vampire speed to get me out of the house and to my car before she could as me any questions. When I got back to Asariel's, she was already cooking dinner for the night, and I could smell the garlic. She was a health nut, part of what made her blood so sweet. I put my stuff in the guest bedroom, just in case her mother decided to come back from her spa weekend a little bit early. She never seemed to mind me staying the night as long as Asariel was placed in her room, fully clothed in pajamas.

"So what is for dinner, love?" I asked walking over to her. "Looks like chicken parmesan…. Stefan's recipe."

"He showed me how to make it one night when I was waiting on you to get home… He was cooking for Elena so I offered my help. I really love it." Asariel said smiling. "And I even made my own mozzarella for this because I have had tonight planned for a while."

"Oh really? Is tonight something special?" I wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her lightly. I had a weird feeling I was about to get chewed out for forgetting something.

"It's our 2 month anniversary." Asariel answered as she continued with the task in front of her. "I didn't think you'd pay attention to when we started dating, so I'm not going to get upset over it. I didn't wanna make a big fuss out of it anyways. I just wanted us to spend tonight in each other's company."

I was surprised. Most girls would have expected the guy to not only remember the anniversaries, even if they weren't the year one, and they would also expect gifts. Asariel didn't want any of that. She just wanted me, which surprised me even more. I let her finish with dinner while I attempted to come up with my own little romantic thing to do for her tonight. But the only thing I could honestly think of would be to clean up after dinner for her and clean up the house tomorrow before she got up.

"Asariel, I'm gonna step out to my car real quick. I think I left my phone out there." I said reaching into my jeans' pocket to get my phone out. Okay, so I lied to her, but I had to so that I could figure out what to do for her. I very rarely asked for my brother's help, but this was a complete emergency.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Stefan. I just need some freaking advice on what to do for my girlfriend." I said angrily, looking back towards the house to make sure Asariel wasn't looking out here. "It's our two month anniversary and I didn't know it…. She's fixing dinner tonight and wants it to be just us.. But now I feel like crap for not knowing what was going on."

"Wow….. Why don't you run get flowers or something?" Stefan suggested. "I mean, Asariel seems like a really simple girl."

"She is, Stefan, but I can't get out of here to get her anything..." I growled into the phone, checking the kitchen window again. "Would you mind?"

"Deep red roses with black mixed in them?" Stefan asked already knowing how Asariel was. He'd seen the rose I'd gotten for her for our third date.

"Thanks." I said before hanging up the phone. I ran back into the house, but after a second thought, texted Stefan and asked him to bring me rose petals as well. If I was gonna do tonight like I wanted to for her, I had to go all the way through with it. I was going to make it special for her.

"Could you get the plates, Damon?" I heard her ask as I came back in the house. She knew she didn't have to ask me. I quietly took a couple plates out of the cabinet and started to place them on the table when I heard her gasp. "Ouch."

"What did you do?" I asked walking over to her after I placed the plates down on the table. "You burnt your hand, didn't you?"

"No," she answered and I smelled the blood. "I caught myself with the knife when I was cutting the chicken up a little bit more."

I took the finger she had cut and kissed it, cleaning the blood off of the cut. I then bit my wrist so that she could have some of my own blood. The cut was deep and I didn't want us spending our two month anniversary in the E.R., even if I thought that is was stupid.

"Drink. It's too deep and we don't need a trip to the E.R. tonight." I said moving my wrist to her mouth. She did as I asked and drank. It surprised me how easily she did it, as if she had picked up on how to drink the mess from me. I watched as the cut healed instantly and she released my wrist.

"Thank you, Damon." She answered smiling. I kissed the small drop of blood on her lips away. "Mmm, I think we might have to let me drink you more often."

"We'll see about it. First I want you to eat." I kissed her again, this time my hands came up to cup her face. Her hands held mine, her soft skin so sweet against my own, freezing cold.

We sat down to dinner after that when I head Stefan's car pull up in the drive way. I excused myself for a second, saying that I forgot to put the blood bags in the fridge. I met him at the door for the flowers and the flower petals. I didn't even say thank you before I slammed the door shut in his face. I laid the bouquet on the table next to the entrance to the kitchen after running the petals back to her bathroom. She had a large Jacuzzi tub in her bathroom and it was a whole lot of fun as we'd found out in past escapades. I came back to the kitchen and asked her to close her eyes before I brought the large bouquet of flowers into the dining room/kitchen. I knelt down in front of her, before allowing her to open her eyes.

"Damon, they're beautiful!" She gasped taking them from me. She loved roses. Her mother had a bouquet sent to her at school the day of our third date because it was her birthday. She had her face practically buried in it when I was taking her home. "Oh they smell so good."

"I knew you'd like them." I kissed her for I think the millionth time this evening. "I had Stefan run and get them since I was completely taken by surprise this evening."

"Well, I guess I should have mentioned that it was our two month anniversary, but I never meant to tell you. I just wanted to have dinner and spend the evening with you. It would have been special enough just like that." She said smiling. "But thank you for the flowers."

"Now that I know though I'm going to make tonight special for you," I said kissing her again. "Why don't you get the dishes put away and meet me in your bathroom once you're done?"

"I can do that," she answered.

I disappeared in a blur back to the bathroom, starting the tub and filing it with her favorite bubble bath. Once there were enough bubbles, I began to litter the tub with petals. Sometimes I wondered why I went through so much trouble for her, but I knew why. She was the first girl that I hadn't compelled after feeding or tricked into dating me. I cared so much for her… I loved her actually but I couldn't bring myself to tell her that. I was sure that she was going to be permanent in my life… I just wasn't sure how to make that happen without telling her that I loved her.

"Damon," I heard Asariel call as she came down the hall. "Is it okay for me to come in yet?"

"Come in the bedroom and get comfortable on your bed for a little bit. The tub isn't done filling yet." I answered her as I watched the tub.

"Okay," Asariel answered. I could hear the smile in her voice as well as the sound of the mattress under her light weight.

It wasn't hard to make her smile. I had learned this earlier on in our relationship. She was simple and enjoyed receiving simple things. That's why I usually didn't plan anything for our dates. The spontaneous things made her the happiest. We had taken so many midnight walks through the park that I had lost track of them all. She'd enjoyed them so much, especially on the nights when she had been studying hard for tests and stuff.

"Tub's full now," I said sticking my head out of the bathroom. "But then again, I could always let it drain and we could take a nap if you're that tired."

"I'm not tired, Damon." She answered coming over to the bathroom and wrapping her arms around me. "I'm just… What if the record labels come and they don't like my performance?"

I tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear before I allowed my hand to rest on her throat.

"You know it doesn't matter if they like it or not, As, because you know that _I_ don't care whether you are famous or just keep performing at the Grill. I like you just as you are."

"That is not what I asked, Damon, but thank you." Asariel said kissing my cheek.

"I know," I said smiling at her. "You get comfy in the tub and I'll come join you in a little bit."

"Don't keep me waiting too long," Asariel said kissing me fully on the lips. "Otherwise you won't be getting fed tonight."

"Oh, I'll get fed alright." I said smiling at her as I lifted her up and placed her on the edge of the sink. I kissed the skin above her jugular. "May I?"

"Yes," came her breathless answer.

My canines grew and sank into her skin. This was always the best feeling when I was with her. She whimpered sweetly, her hands slipping into my hair. I swallowed a couple of times before pulling away. Her eyes met mine and something clicked like it always did with her.

"Shall we get undressed?" I asked her as she slipped her hands to the hem of my shirt.

"Only if you promise that tonight won't be crazy, that you'll keep yourself from going too far since I have to be up in the morning to clean the house." Her sweet red lips said and I was drawn into the trap she always seemed to have laid for me.

"I promise, Asariel," I answered and my shirt was off of me in seconds. She was so much like a vampire at times that I had to wonder if her drinking my blood on occasion had caused it.

"It's been so long since we've had a night like this." Asariel said as I began to unbutton the dress shirt that she was wearing.

"Oh really?" I asked as I kissed her hungrily. Times like this were never calm and sweet; they could never be calm and sweet unless she begged me to let it be that way. "We just had a night like this last Sunday."

I heard her giggle as my hands finally finished the buttons of her shirt and found their way to gently tease her sides. I could never control my hands when we were like this. It was like they had a mind of their own sometimes since they would be in places before my mind could even register that they had moved. And with that, I _knew_ tonight was going to be very fun and interesting.

Three hours later at nine o'clock, I found I was right. We were curled up comfortably together in the white silk sheets of her king size bed. Slipping in the bed had proved difficult since we couldn't stop kissing each other and I was unable to see where we were going. She was curled up comfortably next to me surprisingly since I wasn't the warmest thing in the world.

"So, was this a good anniversary?" I asked wrapping my arms around her. Her hands held mine to her chest and I heard the sigh slip from her slips. "I take that as a yes."

"You can take that as a no. In truth, it was a fabulous anniversary." Asariel answered smiling. I kissed her shoulder before moving her hair so I could see her neck. The bite from earlier was already healed with no bruising. "Are you hungry again?"

"Just a little," I answered and she turned to face me. "What?"

"Go ahead and take a bite," she said smiling at me. "I won't mind a bit. Besides, it helps me sleep sometimes."

"You're sure? Asariel, you said you have to be up in the morning to get ready for the party." I said and that is when I saw that she wasn't wearing the necklace I had had made for her with vervain in it. "Where is your necklace?"

"I took it off earlier before my bath." She answered and I knew what had happened. I had accidently compelled her after drinking her blood earlier. "It's in my jewelry box on the dresser. Why?"

"Oh shit," I said quickly moving over to her jewelry box and grabbing it. Luckily only the charm had the vervain in it so I could easily pick it up by the chain. The chain was around her neck in seconds, keeping me from doing any further damage.

"What was all that about?" She asked staring at me. I kissed her lips. "What's wrong?"

"You took your necklace off. Asariel, if I haven't told you once, then I've told you a million times _**not**_ to take that necklace off. It keeps me from being able to compel you."

"I'm sorry, Damon. I just wanted a nice night with you and I didn't want to worry about it getting broken." I sighed as she said this to me. There was no way I could stay mad at her. It was absolutely impossible.

"I just don't want to end up compelling you because I want more of your blood. I can't help it sometimes, but it's just because you're so tasty," I said kissing her neck. My fangs slipped out again, scratching at her skin.

"Go ahead," Asariel said and I laughed. "I think the vervain wore the compulsion off."

"One more little nibble for the night and then it's off to dreamland for you." I said kissing her neck before my fangs broke her skin.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's note:** **This has both Damon and Asariel's P.O.V. in it. Please enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

"One more little nibble for the night and then it's off to dreamland for you." I said kissing her neck before my fangs broke her skin. 

The next morning Asariel was still dead to the world asleep in her bed. I slipped away from her and got dressed in my clothing from the day before. The shirt was wrinkled and my pants looked horrible but I didn't care. I started cleaning the house. It wasn't hard considering her mom kept this place spotless. I got it done in a few minutes and started cooking her breakfast. She was still curled up in bed when I came back to the bedroom with her breakfast tray.

"Wakey, wakey," I whispered sitting the tray on the end of the bed so that I could gently wake her up without worrying about the tray falling from my lap or something.

"Do I have to?" She groaned as she stretched and smiled at me.

"Yes, you do. You have to have breakfast and then your morning shower so I can get one. And you have to get all dressed nice so you can get that recording contract." I said as I kissed the tip of her nose.

"Crap… I have to clean.."

"No, you don't," I said cutting her off. She sat up in the bed, confused, as I moved the tray and placed it on her lap. "I got up while you were still asleep and cleaned the house. It didn't really take that long considering your mother keeps it spotless."

She shook her head, smirking, before she started in on her breakfast. I had learned her favorite foods within the first couple weeks of us dating. She was mid biscuit when she realized I was staring at her.

"What's wrong?" Her hand instantly went to her neck. "Is it not healed?"

"No, it's healed," I chuckled taking her hand in my own.

"Then why are you staring?" She bit into a piece of bacon she had picked up.

I couldn't help but kiss her cheek. This was one of those moments I wished we could just be somewhere where no one could find us and we could have alone time.

"I've read your crazy _Twilight_ _Saga_ books. Edward was onto something when he started watching Bella eat." I said laughing.

"You really read them?" She asked dropping the piece of bacon in her hand back to the plate.

"It's special to you," I said kissing her forehead. "Eat up. I'm going to go make sure I have everything to wear today. Once you're done, leave the tray here on the bed. I'll come back and get it."

"You're babying me!" She called as I walked out of the room. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Of course! How else would you put up with me?" I jokingly asked as I entered the guest bedroom.

I heard footsteps approaching my room as I sat there on the bed reading. Here she came, dressed in that damned nightgown that drove me so fucking crazy.

"You are supposed to be getting ready for tonight." I said as she came and pulled the book from my hands. A smile came to my face as she straddled my waist. "If we do this, Asariel…"

"If we do this, I'll be less stressed." She answered and I growled as she rolled her hips against mine.

"Asariel," I groaned grabbing her hips and flipping her onto her back. "You don't know what you are asking me to do."

Did I fail to mention that the two of us had _never_ had sexual intercourse?

"Yes, I do," she answered pulling me closer to her. I groaned again. I couldn't do this to her.

"No you don't," I said kissing her once more before sitting up. "Shoo! Go back to your room and get dressed."

She pouted and moved off of the bed. I knew she wasn't happy with me, but I didn't care.

"And I mean get dressed in something appropriate!" I added as I made my way out of the room. There was still more cooking to do and I didn't want her doing it by herself.

She emerged from her room almost an hour later, platinum blonde hair curled in ringlets that fell down her back. She was practically another doppelgänger for Katherine, except she was much more beautiful than Elena or Katherine.

"You are cooking?" She asked smiling. She knew I cooked better than Stefan. "So how do I look?"

"You look perfect." I said kissing her gently. "Go get the outside setup. Stefan is already out there."

Her eyes went wide with worry.

"Don't freak out," I said pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "It's just Stefan. Elena, from what he said, that is still at the house with the girls. Sleeping."

"And she has no idea that I am not even at the house. Caroline and Bonnie will run interference until I get back." Stefan said hugging her. I wanted to rip him to shreds at that moment.

"Damon, I'll finish the food." Asariel said smiling. "You go help Stefan. The two of you will get the whole thing done quicker than if I were out there."

She always knew how to keep me from ripping my own brother to shreds.

"Go, Salvatores, before I have to get the vervain!" Asariel said glaring and we were both out the door in seconds.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>_

I stayed inside, busily cooking when the two of them came back in the house, actually acting like brothers. It made me feel better that Damon and Stefan were actually speaking to each other like civilized people.

"Thank you, Stefan," I said as Damon walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Anytime," Stefan said. "Let me know how tonight goes."

With that, Stefan was out the door and Damon was helping me finish up.

"Why can't we have sex?" I asked. Probably the worst time to bring up the subject, but I needed to know.

"Excuse me," Damon said turning to look at me. I stared at him, leaning against the counter.

"Why can't we have sex? Or better yet, why won't you have sex with me?" I was searching for something I probably shouldn't be. "I mean, you'll have sex with Andy… But you won't have sex with me."

"Asariel," Damon groaned turning away from me. "Please, don't.."

"Come on, Damon!" I yelled angrily. "I want to know the freaking truth!"

"I'm not going to be the one taking your innocence." Damon said looking at me. "Not until you know me well enough."

"I know you, Damon… Very well I believe."

"No you don't!" Damon yelled grabbing my arms tightly.

He dragged me to the guest bathroom and stood me in front of the mirror. He quickly unbuttoned my blouse and pulled it off as well as my bra. He pulled a handheld mirror out of the drawer and placed it in my hand before turning me around.

"Look at that!" He yelled angrily and I moved the mirror so that I could see my back's reflection. "You see that mark? I did that! And I should really feed you my blood to heal it. I could kill you easily, Asariel."

"But you won't!" I yelled placing the mirror on the counter. "Damon, you haven't killed Andy yet. What makes you think you'll kill me?"

"I'm not risking it," Damon said as he helped me redress. "I'm not going to risk losing you. I…."

I stared up at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence but it never came. I wondered when he would allow himself to admit that he loved me.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Asariel open's this chapter. And Damon in the middle and the Asariel at the end. Please enjoy. and leave me some love. Also I do not own the Florence + the Machine songs she sings in this chapter.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

I stared up at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence but it never came. I wondered when he would allow himself to admit that he loved me.

Damon was busy mingling with record company executives as I helped the band set up. I had explained that I didn't write my own songs to the executives in my invitation email. The band and I had been practicing for ages on some of my best cover songs. Majority being my favorite Florence + the Machine songs, which also happened to be my songs for Damon.

"So what are you opening with, Ms. Verdantia?" One of executives asked as I stood watching one of the guitarist's tuning for the song.

"It's one of Florence + the Machine's newer songs." I said smiling. "It's one of my favorites and I am very good at it."

"Do you, by chance, plan on singing an original piece for us?" He asked.

"Unfortunately no," I explained. "I don't write songs… I actually can't write songs, but I will sing any piece that you want to sing that I happen to know."

"Then I'm sure we are in for a treat," the executive said before walking away.

Damon came over and took my hand.

"Just relax," he whispered as he pulled me off the stage into him.

"I'll be okay as soon as.." I was about to finish when I saw Caroline flit her way over to us. "You're late!"

"I'm sorry!" She said pulling me from Damon. "I had to find an excuse. Elena still… You two really need to come clean."

"After the stress is over," I said pulling away from her and leaning into Damon. "We're starting with Shake It Out."

"Okay," Caroline said smiling. It was our favorite, playing off of each other through the whole song.

"Good evening, everyone," I said taking the microphone from the front stand. Damon was standing next to the door when I spotted Stefan and Elena. Lord I hoped I didn't flirt with my songs tonight. "I informed you in the email invitations I sent out that I am not a songwriter. The songs I will be performing are by Florence + the Machine. This first song is one of their newer ones, titled 'Shake It Out', and I hope you enjoy our little version of it."

"_Regrets collect like old friends  
>Here to relive your darkest moments<br>I can see no way, I can see no way_

_And all of the ghouls come out to play  
>And every demon wants his pound of flesh<br>But I like to keep some things to myself  
>I like to keep my issues strong<br>It's always darkest before the dawn_."

The band kicked in as Caroline did her background vocals behind me as we sped through the first verses of the song. I had dedicated this to Stefan my first night performing it. He was smiling, happy to get to see it performed at its best._  
><em>  
>"<em>And I've been a fool and I've been blind<br>I can never leave the past behind  
>I can see no way, I can see no way<br>_

_I'm always dragging that horse around  
>And our love is pastured such a mournful sound<br>Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground  
>So I like to keep my issues strong<br>But it's always darkest before the dawn._"

I cut the note off crisply, taking a deep breath as Caroline took the bridge.

"_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah  
>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah.<em>"

Caroline took the bridge as always giving me enough time to catch my breath before we started into the chorus. The guys kept up with us easily as Caroline came to stand up front with me. My best friend and dance partner when it came to being on stage.

"_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
>So shake him off, oh woah<em>."

Caroline smiled at me as I took back over easily.

"_I am done with my graceless heart  
>So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart<br>Cause I like to keep my issues strong  
>It's always darkest before the dawn.<em>"

"_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah  
>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah.<em>"

"_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
>So shake him off, oh woah.<em>"

We were approaching my favorite part, the best part considering I was easily able to use the pain Stefan had talked about when he thought he was going to lose himself.

"_And given half the chance would I take any of it back  
>It's a fine romance but it's left me so empty<br>It's always darkest before the dawn._"

"_Oh woah, oh woah..._"

"_And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't  
>So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road<br>And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope  
>It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat<br>Cause looking for heaven, for the devil in me  
>Looking for heaven, for the devil in me<br>Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me._"

Damon's eyes caught where mine were staring and he smirked, knowing his song was coming up after this one.

"_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah  
>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah.<em>  
><em>And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back<br>So shake him off, oh woah_."_  
><em>  
>"<em>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah<br>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah.  
>And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back<br>So shake him off, oh woah._"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>_

She was beautiful as always, her voice washing over me. Her voice was so calming to me.

"_If you could only see the beast you've made of me_

_I held it in but now it seems instead you're running free_

_Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart_

_Drive my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart_

"_My fingers crawl your skin, try to tempt my way in_

_You are the moon that makes the night for which I have to howl_

_My fingers crawl your skin, try to tempt my way in_

_You are the moon that makes the night for which I have to_

"_Howl, howl_

_Howl, howl._"

Her eyes met mine, and I couldn't help but smile on the inside. She was trying not to flirt with me now that Elena was here, but I didn't care. I blew her a kiss and she almost froze, but recovered easily. I actually was set on letting Elena find out tonight after this little party.

"_Now there's no holding back, I'm in to attack_

_My blood is singing with your voice, I want to pour it out_

_The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound_

_I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hollow ground_

"_Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my bed_

_I want to claw out and tear out all of your tenderness_

"_And howl, howl_

_Howl, howl._"

"_Be careful of the curse that haunts all young lovers_

_Starts so tender and sweet and turns them into hunters._"

Caroline left her to go into the small short bridge of the song as she caught her breath after the long note she had in the song.

"_Hunters, hunters, hunters_

_Hunters, hunters, hunters._"

"_The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress_

_Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest_

_The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound_

_I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hollow ground._"

I stared into her eyes as she put all of her passion for me into the song. I hated that soon things would become difficult and I would have no choice but to break her heart.

"_And howl_.

"_Be careful of the curse that haunts all young lovers_

_Starts so tender and sweet and turns them into hunters_

_A man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night_

_May still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright_

"_If you could only see the beast you've made of me_

_I held it in but now it seems instead you're running free_

_The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound_

_I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hollow ground._"

Her eyes were boring into my soul as if she knew something was up between us… As if she could tell that I was going to have to leave her soon. The rest of the night passed by in perfection. One of the executives actually said he wanted to fly her to Nashville for a studio recording session.

"That was wonderful, darling," I said pulling her close once they were all gone. I kissed her fiercely as I heard Elena's footsteps come near us.

"What the hell is going on?" Elena yelled and Asariel pulled away so fast I didn't even know she had.

"Elena," she stuttered out, a blush rising in her cheeks. "This is.. Elena, please don't be mad."

"You.. Damon, are compelling her?" Elena yelled asking me. I pulled Asariel back to me. "You are, aren't you?"

"He's not compelling me, Elena!" Asariel answered trying to defend me. "How could you think he would do that?"

"How could you think he wouldn't?" Elena answered as the rest of our small group joined us in the dining room.

"Told you to tell her," Stefan and Caroline said staring at us. Asariel looked ready to kill the two of them.

"Hey peanut gallery, shut up!" I said pulling Asariel closer. "Elena, yes we are dating. No, I'm not compelling her. Actually, she put it all together about me, Caroline, and Stefan without having to be told. Give her some credit for that."

"My necklace charm has vervain in it, Elena." Asariel explained. "You know it keeps him from compelling me."

"This isn't right." Elena said glaring at me. Asariel sighed. "How could you?"

"I love Damon, Elena. Sure, you probably will never understand, but he is different with me than he is with you." Asariel said staring at her friend.

"And how do you feel about her, Damon?" Elena asked.

"He doesn't have to admit his feelings to anyone, Elena," Asariel yelled at her. She pulled from my arms. "Elena, please just trust me. Do you think Stefan would be letting him be with me if he thought he was harming me?"

Elena shook her head and pulled Asariel's spaghetti strapped top down. It revealed the bite mark that had yet to heal.

"Damon, you promised…" Stefan groaned.

"Will everyone chill!" Asariel yelled and the room went silent. She was pissed beyond belief. "He does it without compelling me. I happen to like it. Since I'm a health nut, my blood is better for him! And as for him hurting me, he doesn't."

"How… How can you side with him? He is the reason for so much of this stuff happening!" Elena said staring at Asariel.

"Last _I _checked," Asariel began, "Damon was _**not**_ the reason for you being the doppelgänger or the reason why Klaus is here."

"That has nothing.."

"It has everything to do with that, Elena. I love Damon. Get over it. I don't know if this is some deep down hidden jealousy or something, and I couldn't care less. I'm with Damon. I picked Damon… and given the choice between either of them, I would choose Damon each time."

I was taken by surprise when she said that. I pulled her close looking to Stefan.

"I suggest getting your girlfriend out of here, before mine does something that she'll regret." I said as Asariel held onto me. "Come on. Let's go get that bite cleaned up and then I'll give you some of my blood."

I heard Stefan and Elena leave but Bonnie and Caroline were still at the house. They followed the two of us back to Asariel's room.

"I told you to tell her." Caroline said leaning against the door frame. Bonnie made her way over to the bed to clean the bite.

"Caroline, shut up," Asariel growled.

I made my way out of the room and to the backyard. I started cleaning when I heard the door click shut.

"Stefan, I told you.."

"Damon," Asariel whispered making me turn to face her.

"As, go back and let Bonnie take care of that bite…." She walked towards me when I noticed the stake held to her back and saw Klaus behind her.

I sat straight up in my bed, my breathing labored. I didn't realize that I had woken her up.

"Damon," her sweet voice called sitting up next to me, the white silk and black lace of her gown rubbing against my skin. Her arms were around my waist pulling her closer to me. "What's wrong, darling?"

"Bad dream, go back to sleep," I pulled away from her moving to get out of the bed.

"I can't go back to sleep without you here and you know it. It's strange sleeping here at the boarding house and in your bed." Asariel whispered moving to grab my hand.

"I'll be back in a few minutes then. If I need to, I can have Caroline…"

"I want you," Asariel said, her eyes pleading. "Please, Damon?"

I nodded and kissed her forehead.

"I need a drink really quick. Need anything?" I asked as I made to pull away.

"Could you bring your scotch up here and let me have a sip?" She asked moving back to the center of the bed where we had been curled up together.

I nodded before making my way out of the room. I knew what the hell had caused me to have that nightmare. I went to the front door, opening it to reveal Klaus.

"What do you fucking want?" I asked angrily. He wasn't setting foot in this house.

"Just to talk, Damon.. Especially considering who you're bedding." Klaus said and I tried to hide my confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Bedding my niece isn't the smartest move I hope you know."

"Asariel can't be your niece. She's the same age as Elena." I said moving away. "Now if you will excuse me I have to get back before she has a nightmare."

"She's keeping things from you, Damon… Even _you_ should know that by now." Klaus said before I slammed the door in his face.

I poured my first drink, my hand shaking in anger. I barely managed to get half the glass filled before I downed it. My nerves were on edge now. What had he meant? I could hear Asariel moving to get out of the bed so I quickly poured the glass full again and went back to her.

"Here," I said handing it to her. How she had gotten to where she had to have a sip to go to bed was beyond me!

"You okay?" She asked after handing me back the glass. I downed the rest of it quickly before I fumbled my way back into the bed.

"I'm fine, love," I answered pulling her to me. I didn't want her far from me right now. The whole thing with Klaus at the front door bugged him. "What do you know about your father?"

"That he knocked my mom up about eighteen years ago and he walked." Asariel said moving her hair so that her neck was exposed. The small bite marks from earlier in the night were there as bruises. "Why?"

"Just curious," I said burying my face in her shoulder. I hoped the nightmares would go away tonight with her there beside me.

The next morning I woke up to find her missing from my side. In the blur of sleep, I quickly pulled on pajama pants before running down to the main floor of the house. I had to find her, feeling that she as in trouble. I found her sitting with Stefan in the kitchen, watching as he fixed breakfast.

"Morning, brother," Stefan said smiling while Asariel turned to see me. She must have noticed the wild look about me because she was in my arms in no time at all.

"Morning," I answered holding her to me. I inhaled the scent of her as my face was buried in her hair. "Don't disappear like that without waking me up and telling me where you are going."

"Sorry, love… I was hungry and Stefan offered to make me waffles." Asariel said smiling. She stood there before me, waiting for some type of response.

"Okay, As," I said smiling at her and kissing her forehead. I swept her up in my arms, reducing her to giggles in the process.

"What is with the noise this morning?" I heard Elena groan from behind us. I sat Asariel down at the bar and turned to see her.

"And what is up your ass this morning?" Asariel answered and I hid my smile in her neck.

"I had to deal with hearing you and Damon last night," she answered walking past the both of us in her beeline to Stefan. "I'm surprised Stefan even slept through it."

"If he can sleep through Katherine and Damon then why wouldn't he be able to sleep me and Damon together," Asariel laughed. If I was human and could still blush, I knew my cheeks would have been filled with red.

"Down, kitty," I whispered in her ear, nipping at her neck. "Let's go out to the balcony. Stefan will bring your waffles out. Won't you, Stefan?"

"Of course," Stefan answered before Asariel was out of ear shot with me.

The sun filtered down through the tree branches, making her hair look like golden silk. She curled up in her chair, resting her head delicately on her arm as she stared at me. I sat down with her at the table with my cup of coffee.

"You're staring." I said and a soft smile appeared on her face.

"I'm gazing at you is all."

"You're starting to get creepy, As," I said as Stefan brought out a large plate of waffles. He raised an eyebrow at Asariel, smirking.

"I'm being romantic. I do this to you when you're asleep and don't know it."

"Now that _is_ creepy," Stefan laughed. Asariel chunked the cushion from the chair next to her at him.

"Shut up, Stefan!" She laughed before placing a waffle on her plate. "And bring me my syrup!"

"He's not _your_ boyfriend." Elena said joining us. Asariel's laugh died and a scowl marred her face.

"He's the one who offered to fix me breakfast, Elena. Get whatever it is up your ass out, before I pull it out for you."

I quickly spit my mouthful of coffee into my mug, hoping I would be able to cover up the laugh I felt coming on. Asariel had her strong points and being a queen bitch was one of them. She didn't take bullshit from anyone, not even me. Which was the reason she was here at the house now and had taken permanent residence in my bed… Besides the fact that this was the safest place for her with Klaus in town.

"Can the two of you stop it for at least the amount of time it takes for you two to eat breakfast." Stefan said putting the Log Cabin Syrup on the table. "And Asariel is right, Elena, I offered to fix her breakfast so I should have brought her the syrup in the first place."

Asariel ate about five on her own before she gave me the knowing look. That look that said, "You're driving me to the gym. It doesn't matter what you say, you're not getting out of it." I nodded silently, our communication easy as that. It was strange to think that the full moon was fast approaching, and I would have to give this up… This normalcy as a couple with her up.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I noticed she wasn't at the table any more. Her footsteps sounded throughout the house, revealing she was in my room doing something. I was nice enough to put my mug in the sink before going up to my room. There she was, sitting in my tub with a bottle of champagne and bubbles hiding her flawless body.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>_

"And to what do I owe this lovely little surprise?" Damon asked coming over to the tub. I uncorked the bottle and filled one of the two glasses I had up.

"I figured we owed it to ourselves before things started getting scary and hairy with all this Klaus mess to spend a little time together," I said handing him one of the now full glasses. "A toast, to being strong through this no matter the outcome."

"As…." He groaned taking the glass and turning to move away from me. I quickly put my glass down, grabbing his hand with one of mine and making him look at me with the other.

"Damon, I know something is going to happen… That I'm more than likely not going to like… But I want you to know I'm yours no matter the outcome of all this." I said before kissing him lightly.

"As, you… We need to talk about something." Damon whispered against my lips, breaking the kiss.

"Tell me tonight… We'll talk tonight." I said pulling him to me. "Time together now, ruin the rest of the week later on tonight."

"Damon! Asariel! You might want to get dressed. Elijah is here!" Stefan called breaking the mood. I growled, literally wanting to stake him in the heart for that.

"Come on," Damon said smiling as he held a towel up for me. I stood and wrapped it around myself. "Should I take the liberty of…"

"Might as well. Like my telling you no is gonna help," I answered laughing as I let my hair down. The curls fell like I had just let them off of rollers. Damon walked up behind me and placed my necklace on my neck. "Just in case he tries something?"

"Of course, now dress. I picked something out appropriate… Or at least I think it is," Damon said laughing as he laid on the bed, watching me as I dressed.

"Is there a dress code for meeting your kind?" I asked laughing, feeling like I was quoting _Twilight_. He joined my laughter and I nodded. "Exactly, Damon, so we'll just hope he doesn't find my clothing offensive."

I walked with Damon down the stairs, the playfulness had returned from earlier. He was making biting snips at my neck when we walked into the main living room of the house.

"Elijah, this is Asariel. Damon's… Whatever," Elena said shaking her head at me. I turned to smile at Elijah, about to offer my hand to shake his, when I got a good look at him.

"You…. It's you!" I yelled angrily staring at him. "The one time I wished Ric would let me keep fucking stakes around."

"They wouldn't do you any good against me, darling." Elijah said approaching me. "It's good to see you remember me."

"Hard to forget when you showed up almost every night from time I can remember until we moved here to tuck me and tell me stories." I said growling at him.

"What the hell is going on here?" I heard Damon and Stefan ask at the same time. Damon was there pulling my back to his chest in an instance.

"Elijah is my father." I answered.


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: The break up is in this chapter. The whole chapter was written to the songs: Bedroom Hymns and Skinny Love.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

"Elijah is my father." I answered.

I couldn't believe the words that she had uttered. Elijah was her father. Klaus was right, she was keeping things from me.

"I thought you didn't know much about your father?" I yelled moving away from her.

"I didn't know he was my father until recently and I put the clues together, Damon." Asariel said not looking at me. "He never told me his name or who he was. I thought my imagination was just over active and had created him to keep me company… Or replace the father I didn't have."

"Do not be angry with her, Damon. She honestly did not know, and I never planned to tell her the truth." Elijah said smirking.

"Asariel, we need to talk, now." I growled grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the stairs.

She followed without a fuss. Once away from everyone and tucked away in my room, she sat on my bed. Her eyes were completely distant, as if she were thinking of something as far away from us as possible.

"When did you figure this out," I asked sitting next to her. "Asariel, tell me the truth."

"I put it together just in the last few days, Damon…. However, I didn't know Elijah and my father were one in the same. Today was the first time you've let me be around him." She said not looking at me. "If I had known before, I would have told you."

"Klaus warned me that you were keeping things from me. You're his niece, Asariel… He told me bedding you wasn't the best idea I've ever had." I confessed looking at her. She still wouldn't look at me. "Asariel, what do you know about all this besides what I have told you?"

"Nothing," she answered quietly.

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying!" Asariel cried out. She moved off of the bed, finally looking at me. "Damon, if I knew anything about Klaus, Elijah, or this stupid curse I would have said something! Elena is my best friend. I grew up with her and even when I left we still kept in touch."

"And yet, she can't be happy for you."

"You're not even allowed to say that, Damon." She said coming back over to me and staring me in the eyes. "Damon, you can't say that about Elena. I know that somewhere inside her, she is happy for me. She just wishes that I wasn't happy with you. She thinks you'll hurt me."

"I could, Asariel, and I've done it on accident before." I reminded her as she slipped onto my lap.

I kissed her neck, feeling her rushing pulse there. My feisty little kitten had gotten an adrenaline rush from our little fight. She leaned into me more, pressing her neck into my open mouth. Elijah walked in just as I was about to bite down.

"Don't you knock?" I growled holding Asariel tighter to me. I took it that I wasn't hurting her because she didn't complain.

"I think it's time my daughter returned to what she once was." Elijah said, giving me a knowing look. "You have until midnight tonight, Damon."

Elijah left and I froze. He knew of my plans to compel her.

"What was that about? What did he mean, Damon?" She quickly asked and I silenced her with harsh kisses. "Damon, stop."

"Remember how you asked me to wait to ruin your week?" I breathed against her skin. "I'm going to do that. Let me have this day with you…. Just let it be perfect."

"Damon, what is wrong?" She asked making me look her in the eyes. "You're never… You never act like this."

"One perfect day, Asariel," I whispered as my hands slid under her tanktop. "One perfect day is all I am asking for."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>_

"One perfect day, Asariel," he whispered as his hands found their way under my top. I purred into his ear, content. "One perfect day is all I am asking for."

"Okay," I answered as he moved us to lay on the bed. "Starting with a romantic movie, followed by a lovely dinner on the balcony, cooked by Stefan because I want the whole shebang, and we will close the night up with a semi-full moon lit stroll down the path to the cabin in the woods. There we will finish the night with hot passionate sex, which afterwards your ruin my week."

"Sounds like you've had this planned out for a while," Damon laughed, holding me to him tightly.

"I have plans for every possibly scenario you could even dream of," I said snuggling into him. "So you get the pick of the movie. We can watch _Gone with the Wind_, _Water for Elephants_, or _Remember Me_."

"_Gone with the Wind_," he answered too quickly. It was both our favorites.

The four hour movie went by, every scene more and more meaningful than it had ever been before. I knew tonight was my last night with Damon. I just didn't know how long I would be without him.

"Stefan's working on dinner," Damon said as I laid there, head on his shoulder with my eyes closed. "Should I carry you to the balcony or should we stay here…"

"Carry me? Please?" I asked pitifully.

"As you wish, my princess," he laughed picking me up in his arms.

I sat in his lap all through dinner, letting him baby me. He seemed to like it at times. And even if he didn't, he never complained about it. It was nice though, not cold outside. The moon was almost full, the perfect night to be walking safely out in the woods.

"Thank you, Damon," I couldn't help but whisper as we sat there together after I had finished dinner. We'd had chicken parmesan for dinner, Stefan's best dish and my favorite.

"You're welcome, princess," he mumbled into my hair. "Time for that stroll down the path to the cabin like you wanted. Should I go get some blankets?"

"I asked Stefan to get a fire started for us," I said giggling. "I wanted you all to myself for the time that I have you today."

"You are a little sneaky minx," Damon said laughing as his gripped tightened on me. "Are you ready to go?"

"Of course," I answered as he stood up. He set me down on my feet and it wasn't long before we were walking down the beaten path through the woods. "Damon, I want to…. I want to tell you something."

"What is it?" His hand was holding mine tightly as we made our way to the cabin.

"I….. I love you, Damon… And I don't mean that petty teenager love that most girls feel for their boyfriends at my age…. I really do love you, Damon…" I whispered stopping him and making him look me in the eye. "I really mean it, Damon. I don't care if you don't return my feelings. I'm yours for as long as you want and need me."

Damon didn't say a word as he pulled my hand. We reached the cabin, Damon leading me inside the house. The bed in the corner was made up perfectly in black silk sheets. The fire was stoked and had warmed the whole house. Damon was in the kitchen pouring us some wine while I went to the bed and curled up.

"I know you aren't legal, but if we're having the perfect night…"

"If we are having the perfect night then I am. That would be the perfect evening together… My being legal," I said taking one of the glasses from him. I took a sip, savoring the taste of the wine rushing over my tongue.

Damon sat both of the glasses on the bedside table before crawling on top of me. I'd been trying to seduce him since our fight in my mother's kitchen a month ago. I had almost managed it earlier today when Elijah had chosen that moment to arrive.

"If I hurt you.."

"I'm fragile, Damon… But I'm not that fragile." I whispered in his ear as his lips kissed my neck.

"I just don't want to hurt you, Asariel," Damon said pulling me up to sit in his lap.

My top was off of me in seconds, my bra following behind it without missing a beat. I couldn't find the need to blush. Damon had seen me naked plenty of times; we'd just never taken it to this step. My back fell against the sheets, feeling his kisses trail down my chest. I shuddered from the pleasure, a smile crossing my face.

"So beautiful," Damon whispered in my ear as he bit the soft flesh there. "And all mine."

The words weren't exactly what I had expected, but then again I hadn't expected him to say I love you at this point and time either.

"Always yours, Damon," I answered before his lips claimed mine, his meeting mine with bruising force and a wild burning passion behind them.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>_

Asariel was there in my arms, burning up every nerve ending in my body like she always did. And in the end of it all, tonight would be the first night and the last that I would ever be with her like this. I knew that it was wrong to compel her, after I had sworn to her so many times that I wouldn't. It was the only way to protect her though.

"Damon please," she whimpered as I ground my hips into hers. In a flash we were skin to skin, just as we had been so many times before.

She stared into my eyes, as if knowing what was going to happen when this was over. Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me to her. My face was buried in her neck as I hovered above her.

"_One perfect day, Asariel," I whispered as my hands slid under her tanktop. "One perfect day is all I am asking for."_

My words echoed in my head as I slid into her. The feeling was better than I had ever imagined it would be. I smelled the blood as I broke through the thin barrier of skin that kept me from being seated completely within her. Her lips pressed to both of my eyes, calming the bloodlust immediately. I looked into her eyes, seeing no pain there.

"My strong little kitten," I whispered, our eyes locked.

Our lips met as her hips rolled up towards me to cause friction. Twin groans escaped from our mouths at the feeling. My head dropped to her shoulder as I began to thrust into her. She was so tiny, tinier than any woman I had ever had before. And even I had to admit that was a lot. Her hips thrust upwards to meet mine, our rhythm growing faster and faster. It was like there was a drum being in our heads, increasing its tempo with our movements.

Her heart sounded like a hummingbird trapped in her chest. I suppose it was the beating drum I was hearing, chasing me on to send her closer to heaven with every thrust. I could hardly hear anything between its insane tempo and her whimpering my name. I felt her muscles clench around me causing me to bury my face in her neck again.

"As… God, you're so fucking tight," I managed to gasp. Her muscles had a vice grip on me, pulling me deeper inside of her. "Fuck, baby."

"Damon….. So good… Don't stop," she cried out, the sound echoing in my ears. Her nails dug into my back as I pounded into her relentlessly.

I could feel myself nearing the edge of my sanity, barely able to keep my hands off of her. They came to rest at her hips, gripping them tightly. I knew that if she were just a bit stronger, her nails would have already made cuts in my back. I brought her legs up to circle around my waist, making it easier to bury myself deeper within her. The next thing I heard was her crying my name out, her nails gripping the skin at my shoulders tightly.

"God…." I groaned as her release dragged me under its waves and pulled me to follow her. Our tempo was gone now as we rode out the final waves of our climaxes.

Her body trembled still as she lay there in my arms. I smiled before I began trailing kisses up her neck until I had reached her mouth. She was the best thing I would ever have in my life and I was going to throw it away so easily.

"Asariel," I whispered as I laid down beside her, not wanting to crush her with my weight.

"Don't, Damon," she pled as she lay there. Her eyes were shut tightly, as if trying to keep me from doing what I had planned. "Don't do it… Just don't."

"I have to, As," I whispered. She'd managed to calm her body enough to turn to face me. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. "It's best for you…. You'll be safer away from me."

"He'll still use me against you, Damon… Even if I don't remember you, he could easily kill me just the same." She gasped out. I pulled her to me, holding her tightly.

"Asariel…. I have something I need to tell you before I do this." I whispered into her hair as I held her. She nodded and I pushed her back a little so I could look in her eyes. "I love you, Asariel…. I always will love you. I'm doing this to protect you. If Elijah wanted, he could kill me for not doing it."

My hands went to her necklace, fumbling with the clasp. She fought for a few seconds before I had her pinned underneath me. I felt the tears filling my own eyes as I looked in hers. Her tears were streaking down her cheeks, and mine soon mingled with hers. My eyes dilated as I began to speak.

"Asariel, you will forget that we ever had a relationship. Any memory of us being curled up together was just because Stefan made me on movie nights or whatever we did those nights. You were only sleeping here in my bed so that you were safe from Klaus. You won't remember anything about our relationship….. You will forget that I ever told you that I love you…. You'll forget everything that happened tonight. You'll get dressed, go home, and wake up in the morning to remember nothing." I said staring into her eyes. As soon as I was certain the compulsion had set in, I placed her necklace back on her.

I got myself dressed and waited for her to do the same. I walked her back to the house and let Stefan take her home. I was in my room before I knew it, staring at the photograph of the two of us together that Caroline had snapped at the grill one night. I picked it up, seeing her smile, how much she glowed from the love she held for me. The anger bubbled up inside me as I pitched it at the fireplace. I heard the glass break and listened as the picture seared in the fire. I began to look for anything and everything that would remind me of her. I ripped the sheets from my bed, throwing them in the fire as well. They were soon followed by the "Just Thinking of You" card she had gotten me and the stuffed animal I had won her at the carnival.

"_Why don't you just take this thing in with you?" I asked as she got out of the car._

"_Because I already have too many stuffed animals, Damon… Besides, he'd add some light to your room." She giggled before kissing me quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow after school."_

"_Of course you will," I answered smiling at her._

I heard the door to my room open as I sat there before the fire, watching everything I had ever had with her go up in flames. She was better off without me in her life. I turned to see Andy standing at the door way with nothing on but her underwear.

"I thought I told you to leave." I growled staring at her.

"You didn't compel me," she answered smiling. "I want to be here… Just let me be here."

I stood up and grabbed her by her neck. I stared into her eyes.

"I am upset. And you know what happens when I'm upset." I said, "You have to leave."

"No…" Andy answered, a little of her fear shining through. "You need to know that somebody cares about you… I care about you, Damon."

I felt the bloodlust from earlier returning. Before I knew it my teeth were sank into Andy's neck.

"No you don't! You only care because I compelled you to. Asariel is the one who cared, Andy… And I just fucking threw it all away to protect her!" I growled as I threw Andy in the direction of the fire place. She sat there on the ground staring up at me, the blood dripping from her neck. I went to her, compelling her with no second thoughts. "Get out of here before I kill you! Just go!"

She didn't make a move to leave.

"Go! Now!" I growled before she did anything. She was gone and I was left there alone.

I don't know how long it was before Elena walked in. Her eyes showed her shock at what had happened to the room.

"Did you and Asariel just get in a fight?" She asked looking around.

"No, Elena," I answered grabbing a glass and pouring my favorite bourbon year in it. "Andy and I just had a fight."

"You are cheating on my best friend?" Elena yelled walking over to me.

"No, Elena. I compelled Asariel to forget everything about our relationship! So you get what you want now. Both Salvatore brothers on your arms again and your best friend out of harm's way," I said staring at her. "Now go away!"

"Damon…"

"Go away, Elena."

I heard the door shut behind her. I waited until I heard her and Stefan tucked away upstairs in his room before I broke down again. I found my copy of _Gone with the Wind_ and began to flip to the page I had last been on when I found a letter with Asariel's handwriting on it.

"_Damon,_

_If you're reading this, then I supposed you have compelled me to forget either who you are or that we were ever together. Either way, I knew you would be reading Gone with the Wind. It's your favorite book so I knew you would find this if I left it here._

_I know that you believe you are protecting me, Damon… And I thank you for doing so. It only proves what you won't say to me even more. I love you, dearheart, and I always will even after you have compelled me. You can't compel someone to forget the love they have for someone. It's impossible to erase emotions._

_Don't bury your feelings for me, Damon…. Even if we aren't together right now, you can still be with me. You can still sneak into my room and watch me sleep. Yes, I know you've been acting like Edward on the nights that Mama won't let you stay, sneaking back once you were certain she was asleep._

_You can send me flowers anonymously, love. I never have to know that it is you doing these things. Just don't bury your feelings for me behind hatred of yourself. You are so much better than you believe you are, my love. I would never have been with you if I didn't see that. You will make it through this._

_And I hope that once Klaus is killed you will take this compulsion off of me. Darling, I can't dream of a life without you… I did one night and it was why you found me on the bathroom floor that one morning. I was so sick from the idea of it. Please don't make me live a life without you blessing each and every day._

_I love you always & forever,_

_Asariel_"

I stared at the letter, unable to believe that she had known all along about this. I placed the letter back in its spot in the book… And then I laid there in my bed, crying like I hadn't cried since my mother passed away all those years ago.


	6. Chapter 5

**Author Note: Here is chapter 5. My apologies if it is horrible... I wrote it after a bit of writer's block that I was having. So my apologies. Chapter 6 should be better.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

I emerged from my room that Monday morning to the sound of an empty house. Blood bags and glass littered the floor of my room. I had no clue as to where Elena and Stefan had wandered off to. Probably out planning a way to keep Elena from dying during the sacrifice on the night of the full moon. I walked down stairs after managing to get myself dressed. I was starting to wonder if I should really do as Asariel asked and not turn everything off.

I knew it would hurt less and I would be able to at least function with them turned off. Even getting myself dressed today had hurt because I knew she loved to see me in dark colors and that was _**all**_ my wardrobe was. I fixed a fresh pot of coffee before finding the local flower shop's number. I managed to call the number and get half way through ordering her favorite, red roses, when I broke down and hung up.

"Stupid, weak idiot!" I growled chucking my mug across the room. I didn't bother cleaning it up before I left the house.

I took my car today, not in the mood for stupid games I suppose. I ended up driving to the school, spying on Asariel. Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, and Asariel were sitting out on the front lawn of the school talking. Stefan was there too, sitting in-between Elena and Asariel. And in that moment all I wanted to do was go to her and take away the compulsion. Instead I drove off, only catching the small bit of their conversation.

"Elena, what was Damon doing here?" Asariel asked and I flinched.

"Probably just wondering if Stefan and I came here to school or not," Elena answered and I let go the breath I didn't know I had been holding. I left and headed to the grill. I needed a drink, badly.

* * *

><p><strong>Alaric P.O.V<strong>

Asariel and the others walked into my classroom, early as always. It seemed to be their favorite place to have lunch now. I was surprised when Damon wasn't there with them. Him and Asariel had been connected at the hip since they had come out to Elena about their relationship.

"Where is Damon, Asariel?" I asked seeing her and I saw Stefan's eyes widen in shock. I was apparently out of the loop on something.

"I wouldn't know, Ric… Since I'm not his keeper.. I think you are getting me confused with Stefan." Asariel answered sitting down on one of the desks with her sub.

"Off-campus lunch you guys?"

"Stefan called us in Quizno's… I love how you always know when I'm craving that," Asariel laughed.

I looked over at Stefan, nodding my head towards the door. We both walked out and it wasn't long before he was explaining what had happened.

"He compelled Asariel to forget their relationship, Ric. She has no clue as to what is going on between the two of them. Otherwise she remembers everything. Even the plan to protect Elena," Stefan said looking through the door's window at Asariel.

"Why don't you make her remember? She doesn't deserve this, Stefan." I said looking at her as well. Asariel was a sweet girl and very nice. She really didn't deserve to have Damon treat her like that.

"Because he promised Elijah he wouldn't. Turns out Asariel is Elijah's daughter. Had her turned human to protect her from Klaus." Stefan wasn't very happy about this either.

"Well that is wonderful." I said looking at her. "That is why she didn't know why he wasn't here."

"He's probably at the grill drowning his sorrows in alcohol. He _did_ spend the weekend in his room crying. I haven't seen him like this since our mother passed. He's burned everything she ever gave him… Anything she ever touched in his room… It's all been torched." Stefan even looked to be hurt by this.

"Break the compulsion, Stefan. She deserves the truth."

"She's in danger knowing the truth. If she doesn't love Damon, Klaus can't use her against him… Even though she had a point. He will kill her either way."

"Probably," I said sighing before being startled by the door opening.

"Get your butts in here please. It's awkward without you guys." Elena said smiling. "And Asariel is asking questions now."

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

I didn't realize how long I had been at the grill until Asariel and the rest of our little faithful pack walked in. Alaric was over next to me before I knew it, a stake stealthily hidden and held at my side.

"I take it St. Stefan informed you of what I did." I said as I downed another shot of bourbon.

"Take the compulsion off of her. He won't do it and she doesn't deserve it." He said glaring at me.

"No she doesn't. But she doesn't deserve to die either, _Ric_. Therefore compulsion sticks until Klaus is dead and gone. Even then I might leave it. She doesn't need me in her life." I groaned before she came over.

"You two going to join us… Or do you need to take Mr. Drunkie here home, Alaric?" Asariel asked, her voice snide. She was back to disliking me. And I was going to hate every moment of it.

"You forget, Asariel, I'm a vampire. I could kill you. Even drunk I could kill you." I said getting up and heading towards the door. "Later."

"Asshole," I caught as I stood near the door. Good, I thought as I walked out to my car. She had to think I was horrible. I didn't need her to be close to me before this Klaus mess really began.

The house was empty and I didn't expect it to be any other way when I got there. I went into my room and pulled Asariel's letter from the book I had left it in. I sat there, reading it over and over again. The words in it made me want to break the compulsion. I knew where she was and I knew that I could easily get her to listen to me if I told her it was about Elena.

"You really shouldn't be thinking about breaking the compulsion, Damon," Elijah said and I looked up to see him standing at the doorway. "She is my daughter, whether she cares or not. And I plan on protecting her any way I have to. If that includes killing you or taking her far from here, then nothing will stop me from doing so."

"She deserves to have a choice. You took that from her the moment you told me that if I didn't compel her that you would kill me, even if Elena made you promise on your honor that you wouldn't. She needs to know someone loves her…. More than just her friends and her mother, who isn't even her mother from everything you have said." I answered staring at him.

"She'll have that after we kill Klaus. I will be free to be with her as her father and explain everything to her." Elijah said grabbing me by the neck. "So if you even think about breaking the compulsion, you'll find yourself dead."

"You make her a vampire like she was originally and you will break it yourself. And she won't hate me for it. She understands why I did what I did. She _wants_ me to break the compulsion after this shit with Klaus is over. I'll get her back in the end of it all, Elijah. She'll come back to me. She told Elena the same thing and I can't wait to hear her say it to you. She picked me and given the choice between Stefan and me or anyone else for that matter, she would choose me each time."

"My daughter deserves to make the choice to become what she once was on her own terms. Not just because she wants eternity with you or because I made her that way."

"She'll choose me. I'm breaking the compulsion once this mess with Klaus is over. She gets the choice the moment I break it." I said breaking his hold of me. "Until then, stay away from her. She deserves normalcy until this mess is over. If she asks you to meet with her, then fine! But otherwise I want you out of her life. She chooses what happens from here on out."

"And what if I decide not to listen to you?" Elijah asked and I couldn't hold back the laughter that came out of my mouth.

"You'll be wishing that you had because the second she comes out of the compulsion, I'm telling her the truth about it all. How you forced me to make her forget everything about our relationship. She loved me. For the first in a long time someone chose me first over Stefan or anyone else. Reminds me of my mother a bit. And it felt like I had lost my mother again when I had to send her away. She is mine and always will be, Elijah, whether you want her to be or not. She will choose me. And I bet I could get her to choose me again even with the compulsion."

"I'd like to see you try, Damon." Elijah laughed. I heard the front door shut behind him.

"Challenge accepted," I couldn't help but say it. It was going to be a challenge, but the first time around had been the same way. She was my ferocious little kitten and I wasn't going to give her up.

The moon that night found me sitting on the sill of the window that was opened at her room. She was laying in her bed, the white silk sheets exchanged for blood red and black silk sheets. Her mom indulged in spoiling her on occasion, so I figured this was a present for not having me around the house without telling her as much. I smiled, hearing her murmur my name in her sleep. Even if she didn't remember why she dreamt of me, she still loved me.

I slipped into the room and sat on the edge of her bed. I bit my lip, waiting for her to wake up from the change on the bed. It always happened when I had come over before. Her eyes fluttered open, staring at me. Those sweet emeralds that I wanted to lose myself in no matter if they showed hate or love for me.

"Damon, is something wrong with Elena? Do you guys need me at the house or what?" She asked sitting up at almost an alarming rate.

"Elena's fine. Everything is fine….." I said almost forgetting about the compulsion.

"Then why are you here? I mean honestly, Damon, there isn't really any reason for you to be here." Asariel whispered as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"I.. I wanted to apologize for being a asshole earlier while I was drunk. It wasn't right considering you are usually so nice to me when I don't deserve it." I said, fighting the smirk that was wanting to grace my lips. "And I was thinking maybe we could do dinner sometime this week… Just as friends."

Starting as friends was just the beginning of our relationship, just as it had been before. I waited in silence as she stared at me in disbelief. It was hard for her to even see past the exterior I kept up for the sake of everyone else. Stefan still knew the real me was buried deep down inside and that Asariel was the first person to ever see it in a very long time. Her little tongue slipped out and wet her lips. It only served as a temptation for me to just press my lips against hers. Just so I could taste how sweet that they were.

"Damon, when was the last time Stefan and you were in a fight? Because I'm starting to think that he hit you hard enough to make you act human for once." Asariel said staring at me.

"Humor me then while I'm acting this way. Join me for dinner tomorrow night?" I asked. All I wanted was to break the damned compulsion.

"Yes," Asariel said smiling. "On one condition though, we have to keep it from Elena."

"I think I can do that." I said laughing lightly before I walked over towards the window. "Good night, Asariel."

"Night, Damon." Asariel answered and I sat watching her from the tree outside her window.

"I love you, Asariel." I whispered before I left.


	7. Chapter 6

******Author's note: Again i don't own anything other than this plot and the Original Characters used in it. Klaus makes his appearance in this chapter. And Asariel is going to be getting a wake up call. Damon gets pissed off and Elijah better watch out.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 6<strong>_

Within a week, Asariel and I were back to the earlier part of our relationship. We were a happy, almost couple is how I had put the early part of our relationship into perspective. We had made plans for the night before the full moon again, but when I got there her mom answered the door.

"Damon, to what do we owe this pleasure?" Mrs. Verdantia asked. I visibly flinched. She was probably the only human that could ever scare me.

"I'm here to see Asariel. She didn't tell you, did she?" I asked, worried Asariel had kept our dating secret.

"Oh she told me. If I'm not mistaken, she stopped seeing you last Friday… And she didn't tell me that the two of you had broken up." Mrs. Verdantia said and I gulped. Yes, I, Damon Salvatore, gulped at the mentioning of my forced break up with the girl I loved with my whole entire being.

"In all honesty, Mrs. Verdantia..."

"Damon, did you compel my daughter?" Mrs. Verdantia asked.

"How…How did you know?" I asked staring at her. She let me into the house, leading me to the kitchen.

"Asariel is good at keeping secrets, Damon. She didn't tell me. Her father, Elijah, brought her to me one night when she was just a few weeks old. He gave her to me and told me everything about what he was and why I was to protect her. I knew what she was going to become one day if she so chose to be."

"So you knew I was a vampire all along… And you knew about Elijah.. And yet you didn't tell me?" I asked. I could feel the anger actually bubbling up inside of me.

"Elijah made me promise or he would take her from me, Damon. I was not supposed to reveal who her father was to her or anyone else for that matter." Mrs. Verdantia answered as she fixed herself a mug of coffee. "I love her as if she were my own child, Damon. I raised her as my own."

"Elijah made me compel her… He threatened to kill me and take her far from her if I didn't." I said seeing that Elijah had done all of this just to protect his precious girl. "I would break it but I worry about her being hurt by Klaus if I do."

"Then I suggest not doing so. She'll be safe from Klaus as long as she remembers nothing." Mrs. Verdantia said nodding. "She's back in her room, sleeping. I was supposed to wake her up before you got here, but I needed this little bit of time to speak with you."

"Thank you for informing me, Mrs. Verdantia. I won't let her get hurt." I said before heading back to her room.

I half expected her to be sitting there in her bed, reading, but that wasn't the case. She was nowhere in her room. I looked through her closet and her bathroom. The window was wide open, the black and burgundy lace curtains catching the breeze. I looked around even more, seeing a note on her bed this time.

"_**Damon,**_

_** I didn't doubt that you would be the one to find this when she disappeared. She's my niece and I won't have her with the likes of you. Especially when you have broken her heart and she doesn't even know about it.**_

_** My brother was foolish to keep her from the rest of her family. And you were foolish to think you would be able to keep her to yourself forever. She'll become what she was born. She was a hybrid like me at one point and time, Damon. And I will make her one yet again like she deserves to be."**_

I stared at the note, my eyes not really focusing on the words, but on their meaning. Elijah wasn't going to take her from me, but Klaus would. My fists had the note crumpled up in seconds before I made my way out of the house. I didn't tell her mother because I didn't want to worry her. I was home before I knew it, my anger fueling every step.

"Elijah, you better show your sorry ass now," I growled going into the study to see him with Stefan and Elena. "Your brother is _mine_ when we do this mess."

"What happened?" Elena asked staring at me. I tossed the crumpled up note to her for her to read.

"Klaus took Asariel from her home today. Left that note for me. He's taking her away from me. She was a hybrid before you had her made human, Elijah. You failed to mention that when we had all those nice talks." I growled, "He'll keep her from me. Or at least I figure that is what he plans to do."

"Klaus doesn't want Asariel. He has no need for her.. Unless he plans to use her for the sacrifice," Elijah said. Even I could tell it was hard for him to believe that his brother would want to harm his niece. "But he can't because she was born a hybrid.. And she would become a hybrid again if he were to make her vampire. She'd have to kill someone eventually."

"Then he plans on taking her from here. He wouldn't want her dating me anymore than you would I'm sure." I said angrily. "He is mine."

"Damon, maybe you're jumping to conclusions. Are you sure that…" I didn't even want to hear Elena finish. I quickly walked out of the house, heading to the grill. I needed to get drunk again. I'd stopped drinking as soon as Asariel and I started seeing each other again, but now I was in desperate need of a drink.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

I stared at Klaus, standing before me in Alaric's apartment. Katherine was sitting on the couch watching me closely.

"I told Damon you would use me against him," I whispered as he circled around the chair I was stuck in. He'd compelled me to remember what Damon had made me forget and to stay in the chair. I couldn't move until he said so. "I warned him making me forget wouldn't do a thing for either of us."

"And yet he didn't listen to you, love." Klaus literally purred in my ear. "My sweet, beautiful niece… You look just like your mother. Pity Elijah lost her the day you were born. She would have made a wonderful hybrid."

"Leave my father and me out of this, Klaus." I spat, my voice dripping venom. "You won't turn me against Damon."

He laughed at me, moving from behind me. I couldn't follow him with my eyes since I was trying to contain the fear that was bubbling up inside of me. I took a deep breath, willing it to go away.

"You really think your father would let you stay with him even after I was taken out of the picture?" He said coming to stand in front of me. "And you forget that I can make you turn against your precious Salvatore brother, dear niece. Your necklace isn't around your neck and you have not been ingesting the vervain like you should have been."

"If you do it, I'll never forgive you," I growled at him before spitting in his face. His first reaction brought his hand across my face, leaving a stinging feeling in its place.

"Asariel, you are my niece. I don't like lay a hand on a woman normally. But you don't remember growing up around me and how much I spoiled you. Your father only cared for you because you were the spitting image of your mother. I adored you because I saw the potential that you had. Now I'm giving you the choice. You can join me and become a hybrid again…Or you can die before the eyes of your precious Salvatore brother."

"I'd rather die than join you, Klaus." I said staring up at him. His hands came to rest on my arms, his eyes boring into mine.

"Then I guess we will have to do this the hard way." He said smirking. His eyes turned blood red and black as his smile allowed me to watch as his fangs grew out. "Welcome back, Asariel."

I cried out, every nerve in my body wanting to fight him off. I knew what was coming. His fangs sank into my neck and he began to drink. I knew what was coming. Either my death…. Or my rebirth into the life of a hybrid… A life that I did not remember.


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's note: Klaus makes his move and appears in this chapter with his own POV. Let me know what you think loves.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

I woke up to a roaring in my head and my jaw aching as I sat up in the bed I was in. My eyes swept the room to see that I was no longer at Alaric's apartment. I heard footsteps approaching the room I was in and braced myself for whatever Klaus had up his sleeve. My past was coming back to me in flashes, showing the side of Klaus I hadn't known existed.

"How is my sweet niece?" He asked opening the door. He threw an unconscious guy on the floor, probably who he intended me to feed on. "Don't worry about the sun, dear. That necklace you always wear has lapis on it so you won't be burning into ash anytime soon."

"Why would you do this, Uncle Klaus?" I asked slipping back into habits that had once been my life. "Why force me into a life that I once had when I am happy with the one I was living?"

"You aren't human, Asariel, and you never were!" Klaus growled coming towards me, lifting the poor boy's body and placing it on the bed. He took the boy's wrist and ripped it open. "Drink and finish the transition. Kill him and make it all complete!"

"I'd rather die," I answered moving away. "I'd rather die and leave Damon than to be one of your mindless minions who adores you for siring them as they used to. I am your _niece_, Klaus! Not someone you can order around. I will not follow you blindly like I used to. You hurt innocent people. Elena is my best friend and you have to kill her over some stupid spell that locked away your werewolf side!"

"Because my mother turned her back on me, just like she would have to you if she had been alive when you were born!" Klaus growled picking me up off of the bed, his hands tightening around my arms. "You will show me some respect, Asariel."

"From what I see now, you don't deserve my respect." I answered as I stared into his eyes.

"Well then, I suppose we'll have to change that now, won't we?" He asked smiling. It was a wicked smile and I had a moment of déjà vu upon seeing it.

In a flash he had us at the bed, forcing me to drink from the guy he had brought in. I tried to fight the instincts that were bubbling up inside of me, but it was impossible. I drank steadily from him, feeling the transition finish with every drop. I could hear his heart beating in my head, and felt it slow with every swallow. It wasn't long before it died, and I knew it was complete. I was a hybrid again. Soon I would remember everything from my past, a past that was most likely better off kept from me.

"Welcome back, kitten," Klaus said, laughing. He picked the dead guy's body up and left, locking the metal door. I had no idea where he had me locked up, but I didn't care.

I had to find some way to get to Damon or to at least speak to him. It didn't have to be in person. The one thing Klaus had never known was that I also took after my mother in another trait. I was still a druid. The Witch's Council on the other side had seen fit to allow me to keep my powers since I hardly ever used them except to protect the innocent.

I knew I didn't have long before Klaus would come back to check on me and see how much I remembered. It was only by luck that I remembered the spell that would allow me to visit Damon. I quickly began muttering it, my powers already sparking back to their old strength. I continued to mutter until I heard a shower turn off. I didn't want to open my eyes, in case the spell had backfired, but his voice made it too hard.

"Asariel? What are you doing here?"

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V<strong>

"Asariel? What are you doing?" I sputtered, my towel rapped around my waist. "How did you get away from Klaus?"

"Long story, and I will tell it to you later," Asariel said running to me in a flash of vampire speed. "Damon, you have to listen to me. Klaus is planning on breaking the curse on the next full moon. You have to find a way to keep Elena from dying. Please, I'm begging you."

"Asariel, calm down and let me get dressed. Please." I said walking over to the closet and pulling my pants from it. It didn't take me long and soon I was sitting on the bed with her. "Now tell me what is going on?"

Her emerald eyes were sparkling with unshed tears, her lips quivering. Klaus had changed her, but why? I wondered if he intended to use her for the sacrifice.

"Klaus plans to break the curse on the next full moon. Elijah should know how to save Elena's life. Keep her alive, Damon, please? She is my best friend and I can't stand to lose her."

"I will, As, but calm down and tell me what happened? Why did Klaus change you?"

"I made him angry, Damon… He broke your compulsion on me… I remember everything that has happened. I'm sorry… He's not using me for the sacrifice though. Turns out my past is just a bit more complicated than I think either of us could have thought." She sighed, shaking her head. Her curls fell over her shoulder, hiding her lovely face from me.

"What do you mean complicated?" I asked moving her hair back and pulling her to me.

"Turns out… I'm a hybrid, Damon… If I were to bite you now, you'd instantly begin to show signs of being bitten by a werewolf." She answered pulling away from me. "Klaus changed me because I said I would rather die and leave you than to join him… And he forced me to become this again…. And now every memory that Elijah made me forget is coming back... Tearing my head apart to the point that I don't know if I'm still the same Asariel that grew up here in Mystic Falls most of her life or the one that naïvely followed Klaus for so many centuries before Elijah had me made human and reborn as an infant."

I wiped her tears away, kissing her forehead as she cried. Her whole body shook in my arms. While she cried, all I could think about was Klaus and how much pain he had put both Asariel and Elena through.

"It'll be okay, Asariel. Elena will be fine… And you're back here, with me," I said smiling at her. "You're home."

"No, I'm not, Damon… If Klaus comes back and finds me missing from wherever the hell he is keeping me, he's going to come here. He knows that if I ever got free this is where I would come. I'm only here now to warn you… I don't know what he has in store for me yet, Damon… And I'm sure he won't tell... But I have a feeling neither of us is going to like it."

"Asariel, how did you get here?" I asked as she pulled from my arms. I wanted to pull her back to me, beg her to stay.

"The Witches Council on the other side gave me a very unique opportunity, Damon. My mother was born a druid. She never activated her werewolf curse. I was born with both blood lines. When Elijah changed me and I made my first kill, I became a hybrid. The council allowed me to retain my powers as a druid. I used a spell that I remembered from a long time ago to bring myself here." She said smiling a little. "I'll be fine, Damon… But I have to go back before he finds out I'm gone… He will burn this place to the ground just to get to me."

I wanted to argue with her, but never got the chance when she suddenly disappeared from my room. I got up and headed downstairs, finding Elena and Stefan in the living room with Elijah.

"So what is your plan to keep Elena from dying in this process because your daughter just used her witchy juju to poof into my room and inform me that we had to keep Elena from dying and that Klaus plans to break the curse on the next full moon." I said sitting down on the couch. "How do you plan on doing that?"

"Back when Katerina was to be used for the sacrifice, I had the witches create an elixir to bring her back to life. There was no need for the doppelganger to die when she was an innocent." Elijah explained. "And I didn't doubt that Klaus would make her a hybrid once again. He just never knew that she was a druid like her mother was."

"Well then, you better hope that your little elixir works, otherwise you'll be the one explaining to you daughter why her best friend died." I said before leaving the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

Klaus was opening the door just as I appeared back on the bed. I glared at him, watching for some sudden movement that would give away his plans.

"What do you want, Niklaus," I asked, my voice once again dripping venom.

"Now, sweetheart, you need to be more polite." Klaus said smiling. This time it was a genuine smile, not the ones that he had given her in the past day or so that begged her to behave… Not like the ones he had so blatantly given her in years passed. "Certainly you remember everything by now?"

"I do.. And I remember how you manipulated me! You compelled me!" I cried out, getting up from the bed and staring into his eyes. "How dare you? We are family! You used me to get to Katerina! You've basically used me to get to Elena now! You made sure Elijah would have me reverted to an infant and would be raised here. But how could you have known about Elena?"

"I didn't, Asariel, but yes, I've used you to fish out my doppelgangers. And I don't regret a moment of any of it." Klaus said, his hands gripping my arms again. "But I have never once compelled your favor. I'm your uncle and I made sure to spoil you in ways that I knew I would hold your favor. I spent many nights when you were young, holding you as you cried. When my stupid brother would not be there for you, I was there, taking care of your scraped knees… Drying your tears when you woke up from nightmares… Cuddling with you when you were sick…. I did it all when Elijah didn't. I loved you as he should have."

"I don't care, Niklaus. You used me for your own personal reasons…. You don't do that to family," I said pulling away from him. And then he had me facing him again. "Let me go, Niklaus."

"You will behave now, Asariel," his voice hissed as he stared into my eyes, compelling me. I had no choice. I immediately lost the will to fight him. "Now that's better, sweetheart."

"What do you want me to do? Sit here and be your sweet little angel?" I asked. Just because he had compelled me to behave didn't mean that I my anger had slipped away.

"I'd prefer for you to be the ripper you once were, love," he said quietly. "I enjoyed you that way…. You had the fancies of any man in the world. You could have had any man to change and marry, but now you are choosing that pathetic Salvatore boy."

"He loves me, Niklaus," I answered looking away from him. "Damon loves me just as I love him."

"Or so you say, love. He may say that he loves you but someone with his temperament never changes. You see, we don't like to be tamed."

"I tamed you when I was a child. You very rarely killed as you once did before I was born into this world." I said staring at him. "And once I was born, I was your reason for everything. You protected me with your like, Niklaus…. You wouldn't even let Trevor look after me when you were away. You had one of your witches do it. You loved me once, Niklaus… You protected me at all times… And whenever we traveled I was well taken care of because you feared something may happen to me until I was a vampire."

"Yes, love, I treated you differently," Klaus said smiling at me, his hand tucking some strands of my hair that had fallen behind my ear. "Sweetheart, you were my dearest companion…. And you still are. You have only seen how I was before you were born because I have been lost without you by my side."

"I won't return to stand by your side while you create a mindless army of hybrids that will obey you!" I answered.

"You leave me no choice then, Asariel," his voice sounded dead. "Come the night of the sacrifice, you will learn."

* * *

><p><strong>Klaus' P.O.V.<strong>

I left Asariel in the room, locking her in yet again. Just as all of my family had done before, she had chosen some pathetic being over me. She would learn just as the rest of the family had learned. They had learned to never turn their back on him. And she would learn all the same.

"_Uncle Niklaus,"she had called out, her footsteps telling me that she was running. Katerina and I turned at the sound of my name to see her running towards us. And then she was in my arms, laughing happily. "Uncle Niklaus, you should have joined me in Paris it was beautiful!"_

"_Ah, sweetheart," I said happily setting her back down on the ground. "I should have joined you? Now what fun would you have had if I had been there to chase all the handsome men away from you?"_

"_I would have had more fun with you there," she said smiling happily. How could I have said no to her? Her eyes went to Katerina, eyeing her warily. "Who is this?"_

"_This, sweetheart, is Katerina Petrova. She is staying with us for a time," I said smiling at Asariel. "Katerina, this is my niece, Asariel. She is the light of my life."_

_ I knew it wasn't the best idea to introduce the two of them, for Asariel began to become jealous. And the weeks leading up to the sacrifice, I knew that she was planting seeds of doubt within Katerina's head. She disliked her greatly because she kept me from doting on her as I always did. It was late one evening when I was sitting in my room, reading._

"_What is wrong, sweetheart?" I said calmly as she stood at the door, her white gown making her look like an angel._

"_I don't like how you treat her." She said coming over and sitting in my lap. "I don't like her at all."_

"_Asariel, sweetheart, I know you don't like her. But she is just temporary in our lives. Soon it will be just you, me, and your father as it always has been. You are still my favorite girl and you always will be." I said smiling at her, playing with the ribbon on the end of her braid. "Shall we curl up and read, my sweet?"_

"_Please?" She asked smiling. Even though she was eighteen and knew everything about me as a vampire, she was so at ease when it came to our nightly rituals. She was up off of my lap in no time, curling up in my bed. I went to the shelf and grabbed one of her favorites._

I missed the way things had been at one point in our lives. She was always my little angel. I _wanted_ my angel back, the one that loved me no matter how much I killed. I needed my angel in my life again. And I would have her, despite everything that had happened I would have my sweet angel back.


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Chapter is short. Sacrifice summarized. I was just aiming for simplicity while I wrote this.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

The weeks leading up to the sacrifice were spent in preparation. Asariel was still locked away, the blood she drank laced with small amounts of both vervain and wolfs bane to keep her easily controllable. I was having her gradually weaned from the full moon came closer. I needed to be able to compel her and having her sipping vervain was not the best thing in the world.

She had become more compliant though the past few days. She'd taken to asking me to read to her as I once had on the nights when she could not sleep. She would even act as if she had some kind of respect for me, but then it would go away as if I had lost the Asariel that I had practically raised. I made my way downstairs to find her sitting on the bed. I walked in quietly, smiling at her. She ignored me as I made my way into the room, carrying a mug.

"Sweetheart, you need to eat," I said walking over to her with the mug. She didn't even look at me.

"I'm not hungry, Niklaus," she answered moving to turn away from me. "If I wanted something, I would have easily told you."

"I'll just sit this here then," I said calmly as I placed the mug on the table next to her bed. "I love you, Asariel.. And everything I have done for you was for your own good. I never compelled you unless I thought what had taken place could harm you in any way. And even then when you chose to become a vampire it was lifted the moment you entered transition. You understood why I had done it."

"Well I don't understand why you act like you do now," she whispered quietly. "You were so different when I was around than how you act now, Niklaus. How could you have changed so easily with only having me gone for eighteen years. You became a recluse… You banished Elijah from your inner circle… You locked Aunt Rebekah away for just wanting to be with some guy that she genuinely loved. You don't appreciate your family, Niklaus… And you apparently don't appreciate all the love I had for you."

"I appreciated everything you ever gave me, Asariel," I growled, resisting the urge to slap her. "I loved you dearly and your father became jealous! Elijah took you from me!"

"To protect me from you! You were angry with him for losing Katerina when it was Trevor's fault! He helped her to escape not Elijah!" Asariel explained. "I overheard him planning it with her! She used his love for her to get her out of the castle! She played your affections just as she did every other man's! The only people who have ever loved you were me and your siblings. And you threw that all away the moment you decided to make breaking this spell your top priority."

"Eat your food," I said calmly, sick of hearing the truth.

She was right. She was always right. I walked down the hall, my fingers clawing into my skin. She just had to point out every flaw. But that is what I had always loved her for. I'd always asked for her opinion on things, wanting to know the truth because she was the only one that would tell me it without fearing a slow, painful death from me.

"_Now why don't we go to Ireland next?" I asked my brother and Asariel as we sat down to dinner one night._

"_Again, brother? We were just there a few months ago," Elijah said smiling. "But why not? It is a beautiful place." _

"_And what do you think my dear Asariel," I asked smiling at her. She was in my lap, watching the servants as they came and went from the room._

"_As much as I enjoyed our visit there, I would much rather go somewhere else. How about a visit to Italy?" Asariel asked smiling at me. How could I ever tell her no?_

"_Italy it is then," I said taking my cup and drinking from it. "I'll have the servants get our things ready to go and make sure we have the finest coaches to take us there."_

_ Her smile grew even more taking her own glass up. How was I to know that this would be the last of the happy nights with her and Elijah?_

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

I smiled, kissing her stomach as she laid in my bed. She smiled happily at me and I soon felt her hand on my cheek. She was happy here with me and I did not want to let her go.

"Damon, I have to go back soon." Asariel groaned as I moved to hover above her.

"Then let me satisfy you and love you until you do." I said smiling as I kissed her sweet lips.

"We don't have that kind of time, Damon," she whispered moving away from me to go and pick her clothes up from the floor. I was surprised that any of them were left considering I had literally ripped them from her body when she had appeared in my room.

"Stay. He can't get in the house," I groaned getting up and following her around. "Baby, please?"

"He will burn the house down, Damon! I'm not risking Elena's safe house." Asariel said bumping into my chest as she turned around to face me. "Stop following so close."

"Sorry, but I really don't want you to leave," I said pulling her to me. "Forget about Klaus for a little while. You're stronger than him. He isn't a hybrid yet."

"I know, Damon, but I still don't want to risk it." She said kissing my neck. "Let me go so I can get back before he brings my lunch down."

"Why did you quit drinking what he brings you?" I asked going back to the bed.

"He's been lacing it with small amounts of wolfs bane and vervain to keep my strength down. I pour it down the sink and act like it affects me. I've come here to eat.. Because it is safer for me. And because I need a little vervain to keep him from compelling me.. But since you guys are out, I'm kinda out of luck." She said coming to the bed and kissing me once more before she made her way to the center of the room.

"I love you, Asariel," I said smiling.

"I love you too, Damon," she answered before she disappeared.

I sighed, going back to my bed. She was there, not physically but her scent was all over the pillows, the sheets. I couldn't help but bury myself in them, taking deep breaths of her scent. I'd finally said it to her. And she was able to remember it all from the first time I said it to her. I was able to say I love you so easily to her, that my heart swelled in joy at the thought of it.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

I literally was starting to wonder why I wasn't listening to Damon and staying with him. But revealing my secret to my uncle…. To let him know that I was a druid and able to leave the house, that would only give him more reason to want me dead instead of by his side where I was safest. Tonight was the full moon and I feared that something bad was going to happen. Actually, it wasn't something that I feared, it was something that I knew was coming. Someone was going to die tonight, not just Elena.

"Come on, sweetheart," Klaus said smiling as he came in. "We need to get to the apartment and check in on Katerina."

I walked over to him, not exactly sure why I wasn't frightened of him as I should have been. He was going to murder my best friend. He pushed me up the stairs before leading me out to the car that waited on us. The ride wasn't long to Alaric's apartment and I hoped things would go quickly tonight. I knew Elena would most likely survive if Elijah had something to do with it. The only problem was as soon as I walked into the apartment, Klaus' witch forced me to blackout.

I woke up that night, lying on a rock, chained down to it. He'd brought me to the place he intended to do the sacrifice at. Jenna was laying on the ground and I knew he'd managed to get her out of the house somehow. I heard Elena's voice from far off as I fought against my restraints.

"Asariel!" Elena called spotting me before Gretta placed her in her spot amongst the sacrifices, a fire starting up in a circle to keep her in place. "What… Damon said…"

I shook my head, hoping she wouldn't say another word. If Klaus knew what I had been doing there would be no way of keeping Mystic Falls safe from what would happen in the following days. Elena nodded keeping to herself as Klaus arrived.

Things went by in a blurr. First the werewolf that had bitten Rose and caused her death was killed at my Klaus' hand and then Aunt Jenna…. At least she attempted to fight back unlike the stupid wolf. And then it was Elena's turn.

I was forced to watch as my uncle supposedly drained my best friend of every drop of blood in her body despite the fact that Stefan was willing to sacrifice himself. Damon appeared soon after to collect Elena. I could tell how much he was fighting his instincts to come and let me go. But he knew that he couldn't.

I barely remembered a thing after my father and Klaus disappeared. I wondered how long I would be forced to wait for them to return and free me.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

I don't know how long I was laying there before Stefan and Damon came for Jenna's body. Stefan broke the chains that bound me to the slab with no hesitation. I ran over to Damon, his arms wrapping around me protectively.

"Is Elena alright?" I couldn't help but ask as I pulled away from his chest and looked at the both of them.

"She's perfectly fine… Physically at least." Stefan said before picking up Jenna's body. "Damon, you two going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Damon said before Stefan disappeared. I took his hand in mine before starting to walk away. He pulled me back to him, holding me close.

"What's wrong, Damon?" I asked, my smile fading at the look in his eyes. "What happened?"

He hand pulled free of mine and jerked the sleeve of his shirt up. A werewolf had bitten him. Most likely from Tyler when Matt and he had been rescuing Caroline and Tyler from being used in the sacrifice.

"Damon… We can fix this. It's an easy fix." I said quietly as I stood there, shaking.

"There's no cure, Asariel. Remember what happened to Rose?" He asked staring at me.

"There is _always_ a balance, Damon… I'm a perfect blending of the species. If I'm not proof that there is a balance to everything, then what is?" I cried, backing away from him. "Damon, there is a cure for this… We just have to use our resources and find it."

"What resources, Asariel? Who can you actually talk to and find something out? You can't exactly go ask the witches because they're pissed at Bonnie for bringing Jeremy back from the dead!"

"They're pissed at Bonnie. Not me. I haven't done a thing to ruin the balance of things that would make them hate me." I sighed before I started back towards the cliffs. "Are you coming or not? We have a funeral to attend."

* * *

><p><strong>Narrative P.O.V.<strong>

Asariel stood with Elena to her right, sandwiching her between Bonnie and herself while Caroline was on her left. They walked slowly towards the graves that Stefan had already taken care of. Asariel had learned that morning not only had Elena lost Jenna but also she had lost her biological father, John Gilbert. She wrapped her arm around Elena's waist, holding her steady.

"It's okay, Elena," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes for her friend's pain. Bonnie and Caroline hugged her as well before Elena nodded and walked towards the graves.

Asariel fell back, moving so that she was next to Damon. Her hand found his injured arm, rubbing the spot where she knew the bite mark was gently. He hissed lightly before leaning into her touch.

"You said that more for yourself than for her." He stated, hand holding hers tightly.

"I said it for all of us." Asa said quietly. "I've done some reading…"

"Not here, Asa… Later." Damon said before pulling away from her and disappearing.

And it was back to the Gilbert house for the wake. Asariel sat quietly by herself on the porch, giving everyone else their alone time with Elena. She was to the breaking point. She'd come close to losing her best friend and now she was losing the love of her life. She was so caught up in her thoughts that Stefan startled her when he came out.

"What's wrong?" He asked sitting down next to her.

"I've read through every grimoire I've ever had, Stefan….. There is no cure that I can find for a werewolf bite." Asa sighed, trying to control her tears. "I can't lose him, Stefan… And neither can you."

"And in some fucked up way, you're right." Stefan said getting up. "We'll find a cure, Asa… You know we will."

"I just hope you're right, Stefan…. Because I can't lose someone that I love again." She said quietly. "Losing the Klaus I once knew… The Klaus that wouldn't do this… That had no mind set to break the curse… I lost him… And I'm _**not**_ losing Damon." Asa stood up, staring at Stefan. "Screw the balance of nature, I'll figure something out or conjure something up to save him."

"Of course you will." Stefan laughed hugging her. "He'll be okay. We'll figure it out, Asariel."

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel P.O.V.<strong>

The next morning brought Damon's suicide attempt which now had him locked away in the basement. I'd sat on the couch for an hour and cried before going downstairs to check on him.

"We called Ric…. He should be here soon." I said staring through the bars at him. "Do you want me to get you anything to make you more comfortable?"

"You," He laughed before breaking into a fit of coughs.

"Can't… Least not until Ric gets here. I can't lock the door from inside and you know it." He looked over at me, smirking that little smirk that made my knees melt. "You'll be fine. Stefan and I are going to figure out a cure. He's talking to Bonnie as we speak."

"So you're on babysitting duty." Damon coughed, trying to sit up.

"Until Ric gets here, and then I'm joining Stefan to find that cure for you." All I wanted to do was open the door and hold him. He was my life now, even if it was tough for me to admit it to him or myself at times. "I won't watch you die, Damon… I can't watch you die."

"You shouldn't have to, Asa." His coughing filled my ears, my body flinching at the sound. "When Ric gets here, I want you to leave… I want you to find Elijah and leave Mystic Falls."

"I won't leave you, Damon… We're going to find a cure… And we're going to save you." I said quietly turning to the bars again. "I won't let you die."

"I want you to leave if you can't… I love you, Asariel… And I can't put you through losing me." Damon said smiling sadly at me. I nodded, fighting my tears.

"I will. I promise.. But it's not going to come to that, Damon. We're going to find a cure." I smiled, when I heard the basement door open. "Ric's here… And I'll leave you two to your drinking games."

Of course I was right. Ric was holding a bottle of Damon's favorite vintage bourbon and two tumblers.

"Don't take him seriously, Ric… He's pretty bad off," I whispered in passing before going to the house where the dead witches had once been.

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

My suicide attempt had not been very successful. Asariel had come into the house right when I was standing in front of the window without my ring. Stefan had gotten to me first and forced me down into the basement, into one of the cells. I'd heard Asariel's sobbing for a good hour. When she had come downstairs… Let's just say she hadn't done a good enough job at trying to hide the tear tracks that had streaked down her face.

"So you've been put on suicide watch?" I joked before coughing up more blood.

I was near delusional as it was. I'd gone back into my memories of Katherine. I hoped I'd never have to admit that to Asariel. I prayed I'd never have to admit it to her. Stupid subconscious thoughts.

"Stefan and Asariel are just trying to help Damon," Ric said and I laughed.

"Yeah… Stefan's been trying to help since he convinced me to make the transition. And Asariel…" I trailed off at the mention of her. "Asariel needs someone better than me."

"She won't have anyone else after you, Damon… Even you should know that." He corrected pouring me a double shot.

"Don't know why…" I coughed out getting up to take the glass from him.

"Yeah, you wouldn't. The rest of us see what she has done to you, Damon… She's changed you without you even realizing it." Ric shook his head at my look of disbelief.

The next thing I knew I was running through the middle of town and Elena had found me. Of course all that served to do was send me on a spiraling path of Katherine memories…

We weren't home long before I started in on the one thing I knew I would regret. Elena and I kissed before Katherine showed up with the cure. Klaus' blood…

"Where's Stefan and Asariel?" Elena asked staring at Katherine.

"Paying for that little bottle," Katherine laughed. "I wouldn't plan on seeing either of them anytime soon."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Elena and I had been tracking Stefan and Asariel for the whole summer. Asariel was a bit harder, seeing as neither of us had anything to go on with her hybrid nature. Stefan, however, was exactly the opposite.

"Ya know, he could have compelled her to forget about you." Ric said as we pulled up to the house in Memphis.

"I highly doubt it… If he was going to do that, he would have made sure I knew about it." I said as we entered the house. "Besides, if he had made her forget about me he would have had to include Elena in that. And I know for a fact that she received a text message from her best friend wishing her a happy birthday."

It was a shadow of a hope for both Elena and I. As close as we had been growing over the summer, I still longed to have Asariel back in my bed. Even though I would never admit it outloud to anyone but her, I missed the pillow talk and the feel of her next to me. But Andie was making the separation tolerable… For now at least.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

I rolled my eyes as we entered the crappy little excuse for a bar. Honestly, I longed to be in Chicago at Gloria's place. She knew how to run a bar better than most people.

"How long are we going to be here?" I growled as we neared the actual bar. "I'd much prefer a classier place than this."

"Of course you would," Stefan said smiling at me. He and I had been slipping into one another's rooms late at night to talk… It was the only way he was able to cope with the ripper killings while it helped me feel close to Damon… Since he'd tell stories of when they were younger.

"Excuse me for having common sense… This place is run down and slut-filled." I shot at him before sitting myself down at a vacant barstool at the end of the bar. "Let me know when it's time to go. Although I doubt I'll be able to walk myself out of here."

I'd picked up Damon's dirty habit of drinking when I couldn't handle things. Better to be drunk than in pain, I suppose. Oh how the mighty fell, and fell hard.

"No drinking, sweetheart. We're here on business." Niklaus said and I rolled my eyes again.

"_You're _here on business. I'm here solely because I tried to save the man I love. I want nothing to do with your little… _Projects_," I sighed as the bartender brought me a shot of Jack. Nik quickly downed it, staring at me.

"Not nice, Uncle Nik." I growled getting up.

"Help Stefan compel the bar. He should be here soon." Nik said smirking. "Then I'll let you have your drinks."

"Fine," I groaned following behind Stefan. I wanted no part in this, Nik knew that. He wouldn't push it either, so I knew it was safe to just act the part.

After a few hours of torture later, a little bimbo informed Nik that Damon had been in the area.

"Let us take care of it," Stefan had said. "It shouldn't be too hard to get him off our backs."

"Yeah, let us take care of it." I agreed as we approached Nik.

"And can I trust you'll come back, sweetheart?" He asked staring at me.

"Of course.. I did say I would pay for that cure that saved him… Although I believe that my blood would have done the same for him that yours did." I growled before going out to my car to wait on Stefan. Nik had luckily let me bring my mustang along with me.

I had a feeling tonight was going to be the worst night of my life… And probably the spiral downward of mine and Damon's relationship.

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

"Andie?" I called out looking around the office room for her. She'd texted while I'd been out on the back porch talking with Ric and asked me to come get her. After dodging Elena for the time being, I headed into Stage Three. I figured Andie might have forgotten something and headed back in there to get it. The damned place was sound proof which would explain why she wouldn't have heard me or answered.

The place was pitch black to anyone that didn't have vampire site. I found her stuff sitting on the floor, which was strange in and of itself.

"Stefan?" I asked looking up. Sure enough, my little brother was standing there.

"Hello, brother," he answered nonchalant. Ripper Stefan talking.

"You don't write.. You don't call." I joked, staring at him.

"Need you to stop following me.. You're causing some problems."

Suddenly I felt eyes on my back. I wasn't sure if it was Andie or not, and I wasn't about to turn around and see.

"With who? Klaus? I'm supposed to care what he thinks?" I shrugged walking towards him.

"What you were _supposed_ to do is let us go." Asariel's voice rang out stepping into my line of sight. I hadn't seen her in months, but her body screamed summer body. Her skin was tan, no lines. She was dressed in a pair of Daisy Duke shorts and a white tank top.

"Saw your latest art work in Tennessee, Stefan." I said ignoring her. "Walking a fine line there, my friend. Keep that up and there will be no saving you."

"See the thing is… We don't need any saving. We just want you to let us go." Stefan said smirking. I looked from him to Asariel.

"Now I got a birthday girl at home who isn't gonna let me do that." I said shaking my head.

"Maybe we haven't made our point clear enough." Stefan said. I heard Asariel's quiet laugh.

"Hey, Andie," Asariel called out. "You still there?"

"Andie?" I whispered.

"Damon, I can't move. Damon.. They told me I couldn't move." Andie answered, her voice filled with fear.

"No, no, no. Andie, stay calm." I said before staring at the Stefan. "Not cool, Brother."

"Oh, Stefan didn't do it… I did." Asa said tilting her head to the side with my favorite smirk playing on her lips… The one she always got when she was being a bitch. "And come on… I think it's pretty cool…. Can I, Stefan?" She asked looking to him.

"Go right on ahead." Stefan answered without blinking.

"Hey, Andie… You can move now." Asa giggled, smirk turning to a playful pout.

"No, no, no, no, no, no." I called out but Stefan had me against a beam in no time. The next thing I heard was Andie's neck breaking when she hit the floor.

"We said let us go." Stefan said before they both disappeared in a flash.

I got back to the house to find Elena in my room. She had all the newspaper clippings and online articles I had found, knowing they were Stefan, Asariel, and Klaus leads.

"What? What are you doing here?" I asked shaking my head.

"This? Why did you keep this a secret from me?" She asked carrying them with her as she came towards me.

"Can we not do this right now? I'm having a very bad night." I growled rolling my eyes.

"All summer, every time I came to you with a lead, you made me feel like an idiot for having hope!" She said glaring at me… If looks could kill, I'd have been dead a million times in the last five seconds.

"You were an idiot… We both were." I said walking away.

"Tell me what you know, Damon." She said stopping me.

"I know that you need to get back to your party, Elena." I brushed past her before she dug in just a bit deeper.

"We're supposed to be in this together. Why didn't you tell me you had been tracking Klaus' victims?" She yelled.

"Because they weren't Klaus' victims, Elena.. They were Stefan's and Asariel's." I said staring at her.

"What?" Elena said, shocked. Probably more so by the Asariel news than Stefan's.

"They've left a trail of body parts up and down the eastern seaboard." I said knowingly.

"No.. You're wrong."

"I've seen it happen before with Stefan, Elena. He's flipped the switch.. And so has Asariel." I took the clippings from her. "He's full-blown ripper and she's right there with him."

"Stop it, Damon."

"No, _**you**_ stop it, Elena. Stop looking for them. Stop waiting for both of them to come home. Just stop! They are gone and they aren't coming back." I said. Outside I was rage, inside I was lost. "Not in your lifetime."

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

Stefan and I made it back to Memphis in regular time. I sat at the bar, downing shot after shot of bourbon. Stefan sat next to me, leaning over the bar. Behind us, Nik had already killed the werewolf and was turning him into a hybrid. Nik didn't believe Stefan's show, but he did believe mine. I dismissed myself, heading to the house we were staying at.

I hid in my room, staring at myself in the mirror. I'd killed Andie… What I'd wanted all along. The Asariel that Damon loved was slowly fading away with each passing minute, the old Asariel that had lived for a thousand years was slowly breaking through. I quietly grabbed the scissors sitting on my desk, taking them to my hair. I hated myself for what I had done. The long curls that Nik had been so proud of.. The hair that made me resemble my mother covered the floor.

I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears as I fell to the floor. I'd have to deal with Nik layering it when he came home, but I didn't care. I wasn't beautiful anymore. I was a demon… Something I had sworn to myself I wouldn't become. I managed to make it to my bed, picking my phone up in the process and dialing Damon's number. I still had it memorized.

"What the hell do you want?" He growled through the phone. He hadn't deleted my number.

"I'm sorry… I know it doesn't change things but I'm sorry, Damon…" I whispered, forcing the tears back. "I did this to save you…. And Uncle Nik promised not to harm you if I stayed… Please just stay away… Don't let our sacrifice be in vain…. You're the only one left to keep Elena safe…"

"Do you even fucking miss me?" He asked.

"Every second of every minute of every hour of every day…." I whispered breaking down. "And all I want is for this to have never happened… For me to still be human and for me to be home with you, Damon… But this is what happened… And we have to deal with my consequences…. I love you, Damon, but… I'm not the same."

"No you aren't… But I still love you." He answered softly. "Get cleaned up before Klaus gets there. You have to be strong with him… You can't let him know this hurts you. Because then he'll have won."

"I know… Soon, we'll be back together… I can feel it."

"I love you, Asariel." He whispered before I heard the phone click off.

"I love you, too," I whispered to no one before picking myself up and going for a shower.


	12. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** I know I haven't stated this before, but I will now. Unless written in the chapters, scenes not included from the show are the same as they were in the show. If re-written here with Asariel added into them, they still come out the same but with her in them. Just wanted to let you all know. Read and enjoy, but also remember to review :D

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

**Chicago **

**1922**

**Asariel's P.O.V.**

Jazz, alcohol, private hidden clubs. Prohibition had turned everyone into hiding, needing ways to enjoy their evening drinks in peace. It was my favorite era by far and Nik had taken to making sure that I was able to enjoy it in style along with Aunt Rebekah. It was my first encounter with the one ripper of legend, besides Uncle Nik. Stefan Salvatore was part of Nik's bloodline, sired by Katerina Petrova.

I usually kept Nik out of Rebekah's way, our nights spent on the dance floor. The days were filled with rides through town, Nik spoiling me with every chance he could find. Rebekah found it crazy, but it was fine by me. I was his favorite girl and he liked to flaunt it.

Aunt Rebekah and I were by ourselves for the earlier part of the evening, dancing with whatever men suited our fancy and would easily preoccupy us. Of course, the gentlemen at the bar were taking to ruining our night with the loud and rude behavior. Aunt Rebekah grew tired of it before I did and had a tantrum.

"I'm sorry to break up the fun, boys, but some of us actually _did _come here to hear the music."

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart! Are we offending you?" Stefan asked and his buddies laughed.

"It would take a whole lot more than a baby face like this to offend me," Rebekah pouted a little, a gloved finger running over Stefan's face.

Stefan spent the night following Rebekah around like a puppy while I sat quietly in the corner watching. I observed usually. I had yet to find someone to… Keep me company as Rebekah had so called it when I had been little. I watched as they fed on a woman until Uncle Nik interrupted. He wasn't all too happy about them being together. I rolled my eyes approaching the three of them, my hand resting on Nik's back.

"Come now, Uncle Nik…. Would you really want to put Aunt Rebekah in a sour mood? We'd both have to deal with her if you kill him." I'd pouted, pulling the tension out of the air in seconds. It was a trick I'd mastered without having to try.

With me around, things were simple. Nik and Stefan had become close, and I hid away in dark corner of the bar… Left out….

That was until Grandpapa made an appearance.

"Rebekah! Asariel! Come on," Nik had called out. Grandpapa was the only person in the world I was easily frightened of. Niklaus grabbed me by my arm, pulling me close. "Rebekah! Come on, sweetheart. We have to go."

He'd made sure to get Rebekah and I out before going back to compel Stefan… Rebekah was naïve to think that he wouldn't. And with that we had disappeared again, Nik and I alone until Elijah lured me away and had me made human.

* * *

><p><strong>Chicago<strong>

**Present Day**

**Damon's P.O.V.**

I'd lured Stefan out of the bar to talk to Elena. Meanwhile I was going to keep Klaus busy, and hopefully at least steal a few seconds with Asariel.

"I see they've opened the doors to the rif-raf now." Klaus said, I was pretty sure he meant it to sting but I was too used to it for it to do anything.

"Oh, honey, I've been called worse." I smirked.

"You don't give up, do you?" He asked me, laughing. "I thought Asariel and Stefan took care of you."

"Give me my brother and my girlfriend back, and you'll never have to see me again." Klaus was getting on my nerves and I wanted our lives to be back to normal.

"Well I am torn, you see. I promised Stefan and Asariel I wouldn't let you die. But how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here."

"What can I say? I'm a thrill seeker." I smarted off and then he had me by my neck and off the ground. "Opps." I managed to choke out. I heard the cracking sound.

"Well let's see," he said holding the little drink umbrella toothpick to my neck. "I'm a little boozy so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries."

I saw Asariel from the corner of my eye, waiting for her to step in while Klaus began stabbing me.

"No, that's not it," he said before stabbing me again.

"You want a partner in crime. Forget Stefan. I'm so much more fun." I said, my voice smirking. It wasn't long before he threw me into a table. He ripped the leg off of a chair and headed for me.

"You won't be much fun after you're dead." Klaus laughed before Gloria and Asariel stepped in. The leg of the chair burned in his hand. "Really?"

"Not in my bar." Gloria said, staring at us.

"Uncle Nik, you promised!" Asariel growled coming over to us. Klaus walked out and she helped me up. "We told you to stop this, Damon!"

"You really want me to give up on you, Asariel?" I hissed as Gloria left us alone. "You really want me to give up on us?"

"No, I don't.. But you need to for now." She cried staring at me. That was when I saw her hair.

"What did you do to your hair?" I asked quietly, fingering the now shorter locks.

"I got upset over killing Andie…. I needed to change… So I cut it off.. And Uncle Nik cleaned it up a few days ago." She explained. I kissed her lightly before leaving to find Elena and Stefan.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

I entered the warehouse behind Nik. I knew Rebekah was probably up running around since the guard was dead. I stayed back, knowing that I wasn't in much danger. Rebekah was angry with Uncle Nik, not me. He was the one who had put her in the coffin, I'd just stood by and watched. Okay, so there was a bit of a chance that she would want to stick me with a dagger or something, but it was worth the risk. I hid in the shadows, watching as Rebekah and Nik had their little confrontation.

"Rebekah? It's your big brother." He called out looking around. "Come out, come out wherever you are."

She suddenly had him pinned against a metal beam, the dagger stabbed through his chest. I'd learned long ago not to flinch.

"Go to hell, Nik." She yelled, glaring at him. She was beyond pissed, even I knew it. Uncle Nik pulled it out with a smirk, which didn't surprise me in the least.

"Don't pout. You knew it wouldn't kill me." He said as Rebekah's face literally looked as if it would be set in a permanent pout.

"No, but I was hoping it would hurt more." She said turning to walk away from him. I couldn't help but giggle on the inside. Their arguing always made me smile and laugh.

"I understand that you're upset with me, Rebekah, so I'm going to let that go.. Just this once," He said smirking. "I've brought you a peace offering."

Bullshit was bullshit. And I knew that line was fully loaded with it. Stefan wasn't a peace offering, it was a way to get what he wanted out of Rebekah.

"You can come out now," he said, my eyes following Stefan's form from my spot. I knew what was most likely about to happen. Too bad Uncle Nik hadn't noticed when he stabbed Rebekah ninety years ago that she didn't have grandmother's necklace any longer. Nor did he realize Elena was wearing it when he killed her.

"Stefan?" Rebekah asked in disbelief.

Stefan didn't remember us… He knew me in this time, only because of Elijah. But Nik would change that. He always changed things.

* * *

><p><strong>Mystic Falls<strong>

**Damon's P.O.V.**

Elena and I hadn't even been back in Mystic Falls for very long when I got a call from Katherine… Okay I didn't know for sure that it was Katherine until I answered, but who else would be an Unknown Caller on my phone?

"Okay you were right.. He was there." I said angrily.

"Of course I was right. I'm always right." She said, the smirk that was probably on her face evident in her voice. "Let me guess, it ended in tears and heartbreak?"

"Where are you?" I asked, wanting this game over with.

"Why? You wanna come rub sunscreen on my back?" She asked playfully. No, I really wanted to stake her through the heart myself.

"I'm thinking you're in Italy, maybe Spain? You were always a sucker for those lazy afternoons."

"Keep guessing, Damon. Buh-bye." She said before hanging up.

* * *

><p><strong>The Next Day<strong>

**Chicago 2012**

**Asariel's P.O.V.**

This was the millionth store we had been to in a single day. Nik had not even offered to buy me anything new yet… And it was starting to wear on my nerves. I was his favorite, not Rebekah…. Okay I was starting to act like the brat he had raised me to be, but I didn't care. I was irritable without Damon around. And despite Stefan's statements the previous night when I had gotten short with him, it was _**not**_ because of the sex. Although it would have helped tremendously by now with my irritability, it wasn't the main reason that I missed him. I missed our long pillow talks at night… The way he would smile at me and tell me that everything was going to be fine… That we would get through this crazy mess with Uncle Nik with nearly unscathed.

"There has to be more to the dress," Rebekah whined about the dress that I had picked for her. I laid my head on Uncle Nik's lap, purring when his hand made its way through the layers.

"There's not," he answered, probably as exasperated as I was. She came out of the dressing room, gorgeous just like I knew she would be. There were times where I envied her. I'd gotten my body type from my mother's side of the family… meaning I had no breasts, very little curves and absolutely very little of an ass.

"So women in the twenty-first century dress like prostitutes then." She asked staring at the three of us. "You know, I got dirty looks for wearing trousers."

"You wore trousers so that women today could wear nothing." He snapped, glaring right at her.

"And what is this music? It sounds like a cable car accident."

"It's dance music," Stefan and I growled together… Okay I growled more so than Stefan did, but the point was Rebekah was wearing on all of our nerves.

"People dance to this?" She asked shaking her head.

"Are we done?" Nik asked her, hand still running through my hair. I knew Rebekah was upset because of it. She preferred all attention on her.

"And why are you so grumpy?" She asked coming over to us.

"I needed one thing from you for my witch to find out why my hybrids are dying. One thing: your necklace and you lost it." He said, his nails turning claw like and digging into my scalp. I pulled away, going to sit in Stefan's lap. Probably the worst choice I could have made in seating choices, but it kept me from losing my head… Or a piece of flesh.

"I didn't lose it… It's just been missing for ninety years." She answered before turning and twirling before us. "So what do you think?"

"Gorgeous," I said.

"I like it," Stefan said smiling. She stared at him. "What? I said I like it."

"I can always tell when you're lying, Stefan." She said before storming off into the dressing room. I moved back to Nik's lap, pouting slightly while Stefan shrugged.

"Nice one. Good work," He said grabbing the bottle of champagne.

"You're the one who pulled the dagger out of her." Stefan said.

"I heard that!" Rebekah yelled from the dressing room and I rolled my eyes.

Stefan stepped out, his excuse was for fresh air. I began in on begging Nik to let me get some new clothes while we were there at the store. I got my way, much to Rebekah's dislike of the idea.

We went back to Gloria's and were waiting for Gloria to come up with something when Stefan came in.

"You left us," Rebekah said. Duh, state the obvious. I rolled my eyes and sat quietly next to Uncle Nik.

"Yeah, sorry. Retail therapy was making my head explode." Stefan explained and I smirked.

"Tell me about it." Uncle Nik said before patting my leg.

"What's she doing?" Stefan asked, watching Gloria. I knew I could easily help her, but her and I both knew to use my powers for Uncle Nik's project would get my powers taken away in no time.

"She's failing," Nik growled.

"It's hard to find something when you don't have anything to go on." Gloria said, her eyes opening and looking our way. I knew she was looking straight at me.

"So use me," Rebekah said hopping off the bar and going over to her. "I only wore it for a thousand years."

"See? Now this one offers a solution." Gloria said. "Alright, give me your hand, sweetheart."

I had to admit, I'd always loved Gloria's tactics when it came to Niklaus. She was probably one of the few witches besides myself who could stand up to him. I looked over to Stefan, making sure to keep my head as it was. If Nik even noticed the look, our whole front would be gone and probably leave me in a casket with Stefan a pile of ash. Despite how much Rebekah thought she loved Stefan, Nik would still kill him.

"She's uh… Looking for the necklace, huh?" He asked. We knew the trouble this could lead to if this worked… Elena still had the necklace. It wasn't long before Gloria got something.

"I can sense something." She said quietly. I could feel my body wanting to fidget so I got up and went behind the bar for a glass. After a few more seconds, Gloria let go of Rebekah's hand and looked over at us. "I found it."

"So where is it?" Rebekah asked. I was on my third shot of Petron, hoping to heaven and back that she didn't put two and two together with me and Stefan knowing Elena. It was a small hope, but there was still hope. Gloria would most likely use Stefan anyways… Especially since she had promised to keep my secrets from Niklaus.

"It doesn't work like that doll. I get images. There's a girl with her friends.." Gloria didn't get the chance to continue. Rebekah was pissed.

"Yes, a dead girl with dead friends if I don't get my necklace back." She growled. I rolled my eyes. She wasn't going to be killing Elena any time soon if I had my way with it.

"I'll have to dive back in to get the details." Gloria explained.

"So dive." Uncle Nik answered her, agitated by the wait we had already had to find it.

"I'll need more time." Gloria said while Nik bent over the table. "And space… You're harshing my juju."

"We can wait," he said, trademark smirk on his face.

"I'm sure you can, but that's not what I asked."

"Why don't we go grab something to eat? I'm starved.. And I'm sure Stefan is as well." I said as I walked past him. "Right, Stefan?"

"Yeah, let's go get something. We can always come back later." He seconded before following me out to our awaiting SUV.

It wasn't long before we found our prey, Rebekah and I doing the inviting to the party while Nik and Stefan stood next to the car. It was just how things were with us. I hadn't even finished mine when Rebekah began whining.

"My girl is dead. I'm bored." I rolled my eyes at her bluntness. Leave it to Rebekah to finish first and not have any fun. I felt the girl in my arms' heartbeat die and dropped her to the floor.

"You two weren't kidding about being hungry." Nik laughed, golden eyes staring at Stefan and myself.

"It's been a long day," Stefan laughed as I licked my lips clean.

"Try being related to her." Uncle Nik said looking at Aunt Rebekah. I giggled, knowing full well what he meant.

"You're being mean." Rebekah pouted, my eyes rolling instantly.

She was pitiful, always resulting to the pout. It didn't work unless you tried everything but the pout first. Even I knew this… You think she would have learned from me by now. Stefan began laughing as well.

"And why are you being mean? You used to love me." She pouted even more. It was a surprise it hadn't become permanent over the thousand years she had used it.

"It's been ninety years, Rebekah. Give him a minute," Nik sneered. It only made her even more upset.

"Why are you taking his side?"

"Because, my dear sister, I feel pity for any man who does not give you what you want."

"Will you stop making me out to be a brat? I am _not_ a brat." I laughed outloud at this, earning a glare from her. I sure didn't care because she was lying through her teeth. Michael had made sure to spoil her rotten. All the finest fabrics imported from Europe for her dresses and so on.

"Thousand years of life experience says otherwise," Nik and I said together, smiling at each other.

"You're no picnic either. I mean, I've only spent one summer with you and I feel like I'm ready to blow my head off." Stefan smirked making Rebekah laugh, and only making me snort my ass off.

Stefan left us there at the warehouse and I knew I had to be one step ahead of Rebekah. Being left alone with her would poke holes in Uncle Nik's belief that I had become my old self.

"Uncle Nik, let's go dance… please?" I begged. I knew the perfect jazz club in town to go to… Stefan and I were good at sneaking away and we'd discovered it a few nights ago. "Please?"

"Alright, sweetheart," he'd said all too happily. He babied me more than I think he ever realized. Deep down I knew something was wrong with Stefan, so I texted the one person I trusted to go check in on him: Katherine. No, I didn't want her to be around him, but she was the only one I knew I could trust. I figured he'd head back to Gloria's so I told her to head there.

Later that night, Rebekah had figured Stefan out… Don't get me wrong, I adore Stefan… But he has no sense of when to stay away from the pretty girls. Which you think he would have learned after the Katherine Pierce incident. But no. We were headed back to Mystic Falls now. Which I couldn't complain. Provided Uncle Nik trusted me enough to leave me behind if and when he left town again, I could easily keep Aunt Rebekah from finding out about me and Damon… And I could hide out with him at the boarding house so that we could work things out.

Nik knew everything now… And had taken to taking his anger out on Stefan… I'd lost count after the twenty-fourth time he had broken Stefan's neck. But then we were home… And I knew my luck was at the end of its rope.

Hello again, Mystic Falls.


	13. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **This chapter beings with a made up scene between Alaric and Asariel about her and Damon. She has yet to really find out that Damon is falling for Elena again. But she starts to get her suspicions when Elena shows up with him at the house upon his return from his "trip" with Katherine and is upset over what happened between her and Stefan and Klaus on prank night. Basically Alaric and Asariel's heart to heart is taking place during Senior Prank night.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Senior Prank night. I knew tomorrow was the first day of school. While Nik went to the school, snooping and Rebekah looked after Stefan, I disappeared to the boarding house… Only to find my boyfriend missing.

"Katerina Petrova… That is the last time I ask your help for anything!" I growled recognizing her scent at the front door. I rolled my eyes going to Damon's stash of bourbon only to spot Alaric on the couch.

"Ya know you don't have to yell." He said smirking.

"Yeah I do… Lord have mercy I'll kill the bitch if she even tries…"

"He doesn't love her… You know that." Ric laughed coming over to me at the bar. "He loves you."

"I know.. But still, she's a bitch. It's the last time I will ever ask her for damned help." I said pouring myself a glass of bourbon. "Do you know where Damon and her are?"

"I think he's taking a beat after I suggested it while you were gone." Ric said shaking his head. "Sorry… How was Chicago?"

"Fun, boring… All and all I really just wanted to be here. I'm missing senior prank night for crying out loud!" I pouted. "And I can't go because Klaus is there."

"What happened to you and Stefan keeping him away from here?" Ric asked as I hopped over the back of the couch.

"Simple, Uncle Nik woke Aunt Rebekah up.. And her special talent is knowing when people are lying… Stefan knew this after me telling him and still risked going back to the warehouse and talking to her alone. She saw right through him and so we are back here at home." I explained. "Can I just say one thing? I hope Elena super glues your desk shut for me… Because I'd planned on doing it myself as payback for the C minus on that term paper. You killed my GPA with that."

"Apologies but it was half plagiarize."

"Yeah! Because Damon was being a dick and helped me right the damned thing!" I laughed happily. Yeah, I'd missed going to school. And I wasn't going to miss my senior year. "And then I fell asleep here on the couch, so he finished it for me. I blame him."

"Well I'll give you plenty of room for extra credit this year and I'll make sure you get you're A + to pull your GPA back up." Ric said smiling. "Seriously, how was Chicago?"

"Long.. Dull.. Boring… It was nice seeing Gloria again.. But honestly, I hated the first visit back in the 1920s and I hated this one too. Although, I do have to say I'm a better actress than I thought… Uncle Nik and Aunt Rebekah haven't seen through me yet." I sighed, wishing Damon would hurry up and come home. I wanted to be in bed with him.

"You missed Damon." Ric stated. "He missed you too… He hasn't really been the same since you left."

"I don't doubt that.. Especially after I killed Andie." I confessed not looking over at Ric. I knew the look was probably one of disgust.

"He said Stefan did it."

"No… I did… It was Stefan's idea, but I was the one who compelled her… I was the one who told her she could move." I said quietly. "I suppose it was slightly because of jealousy… But we also needed you all to stop interfering."

"I stayed out of it as much as possible, Asa. Damon and Elena were the ones who wanted the two of you back…. They just wanted you two safe." Ric explained. "Especially Damon… I know he wanted Stefan home as well, but he just really wanted you home the most."

"I know… He begged me to leave in Chicago.. But I knew that would be suspicious to Nik so I stayed."

It was more than just Nik growing suspicious. In a way I had wanted to be there… To be with the family that I had once loved more than anything on this planet. I needed to be there with him… To find a way to balance the obedient niece and the Asariel that loved her friends in Mystic Falls.

"It was more than that… Asa, we never expected you to be the way you were before Elijah had whatever he had done to you… Damon and Elena believe that you would stay the same old Asa that they knew. But you aren't and it would be wrong for you to be."

"The witches that I was always around… The ones that taught and trained me in the art of magic before I became a vampire/werewolf/witch hybrid… They always said there's a balance in everything, even in the way we live our lives. I guess I stayed because I was trying to find that balance for myself so that I could find some way to be both Asariel's without hurting any of the ones I love."

"Face it, Asariel," Ric said getting up from the arm chair and sitting next to me on the couch. "Some way, somehow you will hurt someone. Whether it's one of your best friends, the man you love, or your family… You're going to hurt someone. But they'll bounce back if they really care about you."

"I love how you're so optimistic, Ric… Although I don't believe it, I like how you put it." I said laughing. He pulled me into a hug.

"You'll believe it soon enough, Asa. And even though you are the niece of probably the evilest creature in the world, I still care about you. We're a fucked up little family." Ric laughed with me.

"Yep… But we're here for each other… Just promise me something?" I asked quietly. I still had a white oak stake that I had stolen from Michael years ago and I brought it with me to give to Ric as a precaution anyways.

"Anything," he answered moving to look me in the eye.

"If I go crazy…. Or if I start killing people at random because Nik compelled me to… I want you to stake me with this," I answered handing him the stake. "It's one of the few white oak stakes that Michael had… And I stole it from him when I was younger. It's the only way to kill one us permanently. Please, Ric.. I know Damon will be pissed, but please."

"I will, Asa. I just hope I don't have to." He said smiling. "Now I'm gonna leave you to relax and wait for Damon. I guarantee he'll be home tonight… I doubt he'd want to be away from the place that has all his memories of you and him in it."

Ric left me to my own devices. I spent most of the evening in Damon's bed reading with my favorite shirt of his on. I had heard the door open and him come in. I just had to wait. Elena was here as well apparently. I tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation but it was almost impossible for me. I could hear them easily. Turns out Elena was having issues with Stefan being like he was… And apparently my uncle had compelled Stefan to turn off his emotions.

Life just got worse… big time.

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

I went up to my room after Elena left to go home and Stefan had disappeared into his room or to God knows where. Klaus had compelled him to turn off his emotions so I wasn't exactly sure how to handle him at the moment. I was busily slipping out of my clothes when I noticed something was in my bed.

"Katherine, I told you I'm not…" Asariel sat up in my bed shutting me up. "You're back?"

"Yeah… And I'm not Katherine… Ric said you were taking a beat with her… I didn't figure you'd actually let her come back with you."

"I didn't." I explained slipping into bed next to her. "She tried to come onto me though. I shot her down. Told her brunettes didn't do it for me anymore." I added kissing her gently.

"Mmm.. I heard what happened… I feel bad for not going. I might have been able to stop it." Asa sighed as I pulled her to me.

"I doubt it, Asa… Just don't worry about it.. Please?" I asked her, kissing the top of her head. "How was Chicago?"

"Boring… Would have been more fun if we could have done the city together," she answered. Not surprising to me at all since we both missed each other so much. "But it was okay… I think Katherine killed Gloria. She was trying to figure out where Elena's necklace was… Or should I say she was trying to find out where Rebekah's necklace was. Turns out that necklace that Stefan gave Elena belonged to my grandmother and then to Rebekah."

"Mmm, why don't we cut the chitchat about your family for the night? I think we have some things to make up for." I said pulling the covers over us, her giggles filling my ears.

Life was getting back to a steady pace, or at least I hoped it was.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

I walked down the stairs with Damon, my backpack for school already filled with a few notebooks as well as pens and pencils. When we got to the bottom there were two girls lying on the bottom of the stairs. I figured they were both dead but I wasn't going to stick around and try to figure out.

"Stefan, what the fuck are you doing? We have school!" I growled as I watched him with the girls on the twister mat. "This is stupid. Come on!"

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." He laughed staring at me.

"Fine, I _won't _give you a ride… Show up in your piece of junk car!" I growled before Damon kissed my neck to try and calm me down. Right as he was, a knock came on the front door. It was Aunt Rebekah.

"What are you doing here, Aunt Bekah?"

"Nik left me here… He actually left me here! He thinks you need a babysitter." She said, her shopping bags in her arms as she made her way into the house.

"And I should care why?" I asked rolling my eyes. "I don't need a babysitter. Track him down yourself."

"You're Klaus' sister?" Damon asked staring at her.

"Rebekah. A pleasure, I'm sure." She said smirking. "Which room is my room?"

"You aren't staying here." Stefan and I both said.

"Rude, all three of you." She said looking between the three of us. "I'll just find my own room."

I looked at Stefan and then Damon.

"I guess she's staying here." Stefan said rolling his eyes. Damon nodded, only adding to my tempter.

"Fucking fantastic!" I growled before kissing Damon bye. "School, classes, be back about three thirty."

"Love you too," he laughed and I couldn't help but smile. It was almost normal… Almost.

When I got to school, I immediately began looking for Elena. She didn't need to be coming by the house right now. There was only so much drama I could take… And adding my aunt to the fire was not the best idea.

"Elena, we need to talk," I said finding her at her locker.

"You're back too?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah, Stefan didn't know til after you left I suppose. I decided to stay." I said quickly. "Look, don't come to the house for a few days… Or at least until Damon or I say it's okay."

"Why?" She asked, her classic confused look on her face. Oh how I had missed it.

"Auntie Bekah is staying there. She came in this morning when I was leaving to come to school." I sighed. "Do you know how awkward it's gonna be for me and Damon to fool around with her there?"

"Can't be as bad as me catching Ric and Jenna sneaking back upstairs after them having sex with Chunky Monkey ice cream from Ben & Jerry's," Elena laughed. It was exactly what I needed. She hugged me tightly, her smile never fading. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Elena. We only did what we did to protect you, Damon, and everyone else." I explained, hugging her back. That's when I spotted Caroline and the poster for the spirit squad bonfire. "Crap."

"Crap what?" Elena asked as she turned around. "I completely forgot about that."

"You two better not be bailing!" Caroline said before hugging me. "Missed you, As."

"Missed you too, Care-bear." I said laughing. "And no, Elena and I will be there. Even if I have to drag her out of her house kicking and screaming. Which I will."

"I'll go willingly." Elena laughed before Tyler interrupted our little reunion by just laying one on Caroline.

"Happy first day," he said smiling. That's when I noticed his shirt. Elena beat me to the punch though.

"Is that blood?" Elena asked before Caroline pulled him into the bathroom. Elena and I followed behind, quickly checking stalls as we went.

"What's going on you guys?" Tyler asked confused. Poor pitiful puppy hybrid.

"Vampire 101, don't wear your breakfast to school!" Caroline snipped before I smacked him upside the head.

"It was just a blood bag," Tyler said.

"Where did you get it, Tyler? You were just turned last night from what I heard." I said surprised.

"Rebekah." He said sheepishly. Caroline and I shared "the look" and then turned it on him.

"Do not take things from her, Tyler! I don't care what my uncle told her to do, do not trust her." I said before leaving with Elena. Stefan ran into us. "Well look what the cat dragged in."

I was in no mood at this point after our little run in with Stefan. We headed to Alaric's class for history, my smile barely on my face when we went in.

"So what is going on with Stefan?" Ric asked.

"Elena's an asset to Uncle Nik now because her blood is the only thing that can make a hybrid and Stefan has been placed as her body guard… Did I forget anything, Elena?" I asked sitting in the seat I had always had.

"Well other than the fact that he isn't the Stefan we all know… We need to do something." Elena said quietly, the bell ringing to tell us all so get to class.

Everyone began filing in, taking their seats. Elena was behind me, Caroline to our left like she always had since freshmen year. Stefan decided he could join our little posse and was sitting down to our right.

"Oh joy," I whispered, flipping him off from the side of my desk before Ric started class.

"Welcome back, seniors. Let's turn our brains back on starting with this country's original founders: the Native Americans." Ric started, already making my eyes roll.

"What about the Vikings?" A familiar voice asked. I began sinking down in my seat.

"Well there's no evidence that Viking explorers ever settled in the United States." Ric said. I was in-between running out of the classroom and giggling. "Who are you?"

"My name's Rebekah. I'm new and history's my favorite subject."

Caroline grabbed me that afternoon for spirit squad practice. I guess even running off for the summer and missing cheer camp didn't cut me from the squad. But we'd all four joined it, Bonnie and Elena had quit last year leaving me and Caroline to carry the torch. Apparently we'd been made co-captains together in my absence. We were out next to the football field doing our stretches when someone pointed out someone was missing.

"Anyone seen Dana?" Someone asked and I looked around. Missing.

"Looks like you have an opening on the squad." Aunt Rebekah said showing up out of nowhere.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked, bitch glare already set in. She was extremely pissed. I was staying out of this one. "You can't just come in here and infiltrate all of our lives."

"I'm only interested in yours. Your spunk, your popularity…" Rebekah said looking around. "Maybe even your boyfriend."

I kicked out early, wanting to get home and shower before the bonfire tonight. I planned on having a good night with my boyfriend, despite my aunt moving in… But that good night was going to have to wait as I found out when I showed up at Alaric's classroom with Damon. Apparently we were doing something about Stefan tonight.

"Okay why do we have to pull this tonight? It's not like he's going anywhere." I said pouting as I sat down on one of the desks.

"Better to do it now than later." Ric said causing me to roll my eyes.

"Here's the plan. I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire. Then when he's distracted…"

"I'll shoot him." Ric said. I couldn't believe how simple they were trying to do this.

"Can't Bonnie just juju him or something?" Damon asked. I'd requested my powers stay between Stefan, himself, and me.

"I want to keep Bonnie out of this as much as possible. I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her." Elena said. She was bound and determined. "Caroline, you ready?"

"Yep! I'll make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."

"You're forgetting a key player here. Rebekah? Where Stefan goes the blonde ponytail tends to follow. " Damon said. I had a feeling I wasn't about to like the words to come out of my friend's mouth.

"Which is why it's your job to keep her away." Elena said quietly.

"How? She's an original. Last time I checked we were out of daggers." He said quickly.

"He's not doing it. No.. Let me handle her."

"Asariel, as much as she may trust you… You don't need to blow your cover with Klaus or her. Do you think he'd let you stick around if he found out about this?" Ric asked looking over at me.

"Fine!" I growled, pouting. "But I'm only agreeing to this because I love you all and trust you not to get my boyfriend killed." I got up and walked out of Ric's classroom. I wasn't going to be sticking around for this party.

Damon caught up with me and held me close.

"I'll be okay. I promise. Go home and get a bubble bath ready for the two of us, okay?" He asked smirking into my neck.

"Okay," I said my pout/smirk on my face. "But you better come back in one piece or I'm going to actually kill my own aunt."

That night I went to bed alone. I never heard Damon come in… Or what had happened.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

I made my way downstairs for breakfast the next morning, only to find no trace of Damon. I made my way out of the kitchen and to the living room so I could peek out to the driveway. Sure enough, Damon's car was parked out front.

"Damon!" I called out before spotting him in the other living room, chained to a chair with the fireplace poker through his chest. "What the hell happened?"

"Whatever twisted ripper thing Stefan tried to do to me… This is not funny and his ass is so mine!" Damon growled.

"Damon, Stefan couldn't have done this." I said going over to him. "He was dead to the world asleep before I was."

"If he didn't do it then who did?" Damon asked when I ripped the poker out of his chest. I quietly made work of the chains and helped him up.

"I don't know but doesn't this seem like a bit of déjà vu." I said knowing exactly what had taken place with Tyler's uncle. Suddenly the curtains were ripped open. Damon's ring wasn't on his hand and he quickly moved from the sunlight. "Definitely déjà vu."

"Shut up, Asariel." He said picking his ring up off of the floor. I slipped up behind him, holding him close. "Sorry… You're right."

"It's okay. Let's go have breakfast." I said smiling into his shoulder. "I'll even fix eggs Florentine for you."

"Mmmm, okay. Just let me go get a shower while you start cooking. I'll be down in a few minutes." He said before pulling out of my arms. I knew Rebekah and Stefan were gone now so there was nothing to worry about.

After we finished breakfast, it was into town to meet up with the rest of our little group for the Night of Illumination. Damon didn't like these little festivals, but he was going because of me.

"So why aren't we going to the grill first?" I asked as I fixed my sunshades.

"I need to talk to Bonnie. She needs to deal with this." He said pulling up to them. "Greetings, Blondie. Witchie."

I smirked rolling my eyes behind my shades. We'd planned for a girls night tonight so I'd just talk to them both tonight.

"I think you got your voodoo wires all crossed when you got rid of Vickie Donovan."

"What do you mean? Why?" Bonnie asked surprised.

"Because I'm pretty sure I just got spit roasted by Mason Lockwood's ghost." Damon said staring at Bonnie.

"What?" Bonnie asked. I think he was just serving to make her even more confused.

"Why would you think that?" Caroline asked. We all still had our little secrets. Like knowing exactly _how_ Damon had killed Mason.

"Maybe because he chained me to a chair and drove a hot poker in my chest." He said as I rolled my eyes. Caroline looked confused now as well. "Let's just say I'm having déjà vu."

"I thought you said ghosts couldn't physically interact with people." Caroline said looking at Bonnie.

"They can't."

"Yeah, well. I don't have time for vengeful Lockwood. When I kill someone they're supposed to stay dead." Damon explained, getting a giggle out of me. "Whatever you screwed up, _**fix it**_."

And then it was off to the grill. Lord I was ready for a semi-normal date… But I wasn't going to get that.

"Hey, Ric," I said heading straight for the bar. I knew they were about to get in one of their bromance fights. Something about Mason and him still being pissed about what they did to him. I didn't care at this moment. They came over to the bar and sat down with me.

"I think that is beyond pissed. Hey, Mason," I said smiling before getting up. "I'm going to hide out at the pool table while the three of you chit chat…"

Today wasn't the day for interrupting arguments and old issues. I had an odd feeling that Mason was going to help with issues with Uncle Nik… And if I knew the Lockwoods, they knew where our old hiding cave was for the full moon nights. I growled when he told Damon to come alone.

"Not happening, Mason." I said following him out of the grill.

"Asariel, this is between me and Damon.. It doesn't involve you." Mason said as he kept walking away from me.

"Not when you are taking him down to the caves, Mason… it's _my_ family's lives those markings tell about… I'm going to be there when he learns the truth about what happened to us all." I said quietly. "Or at least finds it. So I'm coming along. Get over it."

When Damon and I got there, I made him wait before heading down.

"Look, Damon… I'm not telling you not to go down there, but I know where he is taking you… And I know what you're going to see. If there is a weapon down there… I don't know what it is. I've never heard of a weapon besides a white oak stake that could kill one of us originals."

"Well, we'll just have to check it out, won't we?" He said, smirk playing on his lips. He kissed my forehead before leading us down into the crypt.

As we went through the caves, we came to a part that Michael and Finn had rigged to release wooden spikes. I tried to stop Damon before he set them off, but it was too late. Luckily Mason got the bright idea to go back and get the shovel. I helped him break the spikes, apologizing to Damon about them. It had been so long I didn't even remember how to disarm them. When we reached the cave, Damon found that he couldn't enter with me and Mason.

"How come you can get in and I can't?" He said angrily.

"We used to live in these caves three nights out of a month, Damon… And if there is a spell on this place it to keep vampires out, it is negated by my being a witch as well as them allowing me to enter." I explained looking at the markings. I smiled finding where Rebekah and Nik had carved our names, mine missing from the rock walls because I'd yet to be born.

Suddenly Mason disappeared and left us there alone. I figured Bonnie had fixed the mess up that had happened thanks to Grandmother.

"I think we need to call Ric." I said heading back to the entrance. "And tell him to get here quick."

It wasn't long before Ric did show up. I went ahead of them, hoping to get something from the walls or figure something out to help with the whole situation while they repaired their bromance. Other than Stefan, Alaric was the only one Damon really trusted male-wise so I figured letting them talk it out wouldn't be a bad idea… If I heard screams I'd just take care of it myself. I'd tried deciphering the markings on the wall, but I could only figure out a couple of them on my own.

"It's going to be a long night." I heard Ric say, a hint of happiness in his voice.

"Don't tell me you're getting turn on by this." Damon said making me laugh.

"No… But this is _every_ historian's dream… And I think we just hit the jackpot. Turns out Vikings did reach the U.S. and settle in this area." Ric laughed looking at the markings. "Asa, can you read any of these?"

"Only a couple. I think we should head back to your place and get the camera… We need to observe these somewhere we can do it all at one time." I said as we turned to leave.

Ric was right, it was going to be an extremely long night.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"You know it isn't the Lockwoods… Keep insulting me, Damon, and I'll fucking stake you!" I laughed as we went into the cave. "I've already told you that this is _my_ family history.. Not Tyler's."

Elena laughed as well. She'd listened to this "fun" argument the whole trip over after the three of us had picked her up in Ric's car. I pulled her forward as we entered the cave.

"So you thought this was the Lockwood family history… And it's not?" Elena asked as we entered the cave. "And why can't Damon get in?"

"Something to do with that really old witch's juju," Damon sighed standing next to the entrance.

"And we know it has to do with my family because of the Viking script which I can't read." I said quietly as Ric shined his flashlight on it. "Ric, however, can read it… To a point."

"And it gets better." Damon said before Ric shined the light on the names. I shuddered. I wished I had known all this was here before Mason had shown it to us, but I'd had no clue.

"The first name, when translated, means Niklaus. The whole entire original families' names are carved into the stone." Ric said. "Rebekah. Elijah. Mikael."

"Our whole family.. Excluding me. This is before I was older enough to really matter in this crazy game Nik likes to play." I said quietly before grabbing Ric's camera from his bag. "We need to get pictures before someone finds us here… Mainly Nik."

"And so we shall," Ric smiled before getting started.

Once Ric and I finished and had the pictures printed, it was back to the safety of Ric's apartment. I leaned over the table shifting through the photos with Ric as Damon helped Elena with her "vampire killing/hunting" skills.

"These symbols tell a story. To understand the story we have to decipher the images." Ric said. I rolled my eyes.

"Way to state the obvious, Ric." I sighed. "Mason said this would lead us to a weapon… But if that weapon is Mikael then we have already lost the weapon before we really found it."

"The images might just tell us what the weapon is specifically." Ric said sifting through them again.

"Then we have to figure out what they mean." Elena said, my eyes rolling again.

"Okay, if I'm going to be optimistic like the three of you are, how do you suppose we do that? You heard Asariel. She doesn't know what these images mean." Damon snarked joining me on the other side of the table.

"Well, if it's about the original family, then we go straight to the source." Elena supplied the answer.

"And what happens when Rebekah puts you in a wheelchair…. Permanently?" I asked. "Let me handle it… If I start asking questions then she'll just think I'm being curious considering Elijah has never really told me anything and neither has Nik."

"Too much of a risk. Do you want your cover blown with her and then have her spill it with Nik so that he makes you forget Damon?" Elena asked before leaving.

I turned to look at Damon, about to ask him about lunch at the grill when he ruined my plans.

"I'm gonna go see Stefan." He said kissing my cheek and then heading out the door.

I pouted, picking one of the pictures up and staring at it.

"Got any chunkie monkey?" I asked looking up at Ric. He nodded heading for the kitchen of his apartment. "Two spoons!" I called out after him sighing as I pulled a stool up and began looking at the pictures.

It wasn't long before we ran into a bump in the road, only to have Bonnie save the day. Turns out .most of what I didn't remember was that my grandmother was a witch.. The original witch. It wasn't long before the images were shifting through my head at warp speed, so I excused myself to the hallway to call Damon.

"Hello," he said loudly. I could hear the music in the background.

"What are you doing and where the hell are you?" I asked worried for a second.

"You're as bad as Elena. I have no clue where I am.. Stefan brought me to this bar and I'm pretty sure I'm overdressed," Damon answered. "How's everything going with the pictures?"

"Good we've figured some stuff out on our own… How's Elena since I'm sure you've already checked up on her?"

"She's still standing. By the way I've pulled Stefan out of the vampire rehab to see if I can't get some stuff out of him… So don't worry about going to take him a fresh bunny."

"You did what?!" I asked, trying my best to hide any signs of being angry but it was impossible.

"Again, you are as bad as Elena. I've got it handled, Asa. You trust me don't you?" Damon asked and I nodded although he couldn't see it.

"Yes, I do. Just don't lose him, Damon… We're all gonna need each other before this mess is over with Nik." I said before we said our goodbyes and love you's. I headed back in when I spotted that Ric looked excited over something.

"You're not going to believe this." He said as I came over to the table.

"What?" I asked. I couldn't help my curiosity. I knew very little of how my family was before they were vampires.

"Klaus killed the original witch." Ric said staring at me. I suppose he was waiting for my reaction because he waved a hand in front of my face when I didn't respond. "Asa?"

"What do you want me to say? I never hated my grandfather and I've never hated Nik… I was never close to my grandmother because she was dead before I was old enough to remember her.. But I can't believe Nik would lie to Rebekah like that…. Make her hate Mikael. Oh no.. Actually I can believe it."

I was spiraling around the same topic, my feet leading me into a pace across the living room of Ric's apartment.

"I can believe that he would lie about that.. He just.." I think I broke down at some point because the next thing I knew I was breathing in Ric's scent.

"It's okay, Asa… It's okay," he whispered rocking me.

That night wasn't as much fun when I got home to the boarding house. Damon was nowhere to be found and Rebekah was standing in front of the fireplace watching the pictures burn.

"And where have you been?" She asked.

"Around. Nik didn't tell me I had to stay put somewhere here in town, now did he? I can leave whenever I please." I said monotone as I headed for the stairs. I never made it because she had me against the beam at the bottom of them.

"You knew didn't you? That he lied to me?" She asked staring into my eyes, trying to compel me.

"No, Aunt Bekah, I didn't. I didn't find out until a few hours ago." I said breaking her hold on me and going up the stairs. "If Damon happens to come home, tell him I'm sleeping in a guest room."

Later on, Damon slid into the bed behind me in the guest room I had chosen. His hands were gentle as they slowly tempted me from my drifting sleep. He didn't say a word but instead just held me close to him, letting me draw comfort from his presence.

"You'd never lie to me just to keep me from leaving, would you?" I asked turning to face him, his face clear as day even in the dark of the room. I'd drawn the curtains tight against the full moon because I didn't want to deal with the cravings to run.

"I think I would have… In the beginning when I thought we were just a fling… But now…No, I would never do that to you." Damon answered kissing my forehead and pulling me tight against him. "Go to sleep, Asa. Everything will be better tomorrow."

"And why is that?" I asked surprised.

"Because we have Mikael."

I heard a gasp down the hallway. Of course Rebekah would have heard Damon's words. And they were meant as a threat to her just as much as they were a threat to Nik. I snuggled deeper into Damon's embrace if that was possible. Yes, things would be better tomorrow. Mikael loved me in spite of everything from my past and would not harm me. He'd leave me to be happy with Damon. Yes, things would be better tomorrow.


	17. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Apologies for this chapter being so quick and short. I wanted to keep the episode as was for this except for the big surprise at the end. So please excuse it. The next chapter will be better.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

I sat quietly in Damon's lap while he made the phone call to Uncle Nik. Part of me wanted to be the one to say it but the excuse was I was too distraught to speak. Nik had always known of my affection towards my grandfather and it had never changed. But I'd had no choice in who my loyalties went to in the beginning so I'd ended up staying with Nik permanently after the incident that split our family. I'd chosen to stay out of the plan so that if Nik tried to compel me he wouldn't be able to get the truth from me. Grandpapa was laying on the floor still daggered. I had a feel I wasn't going to get much of a chance to speak with him any time soon because Rebekah was set to be the one to pull the dagger from his heart.

It was late afternoon when I finally heard him wake up. Of course Aunt Bekah had to be a petty little thing. Although I saw her point considering it was his and grandmother's fault that they were what they were now… But I didn't care. He was my grandfather and I had never known him to be anything different than the man who would, despite being told not to let me out of the house during the cold winters, take me out and play in the snow with me… Or take me horseback riding through the woods around the little village I had spent very few years of my life in.

"Damon told me I might find you in here," his voice was warm and lulled me into a safe haven I hadn't felt since Nik had scooped me up and taken me away from Mystic Falls.

"He usually knows where to find me when I hide away." I said turning on the bed to smile at him. "I've missed you."

"As I have you," Mikael said coming to the bed and sitting down next me. "You've been well, I hope."

"As well as can be." I said quietly picking at an imaginary piece of fluff on the comforter of the bed. "The whole not knowing who I was til Nik changed me… It's kinda taken some getting used to."

"Elijah did it because he loved you, Asariel… Otherwise I would not have helped him." Mikael said tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Now what are you wearing to this dance tonight."

"I'm not going.. Too much risk of issues if I go. I'm better off staying here." I answered staring at the comforter.

"Asariel Airlia Mikaelson, you are going to go to the dance tonight. It doesn't matter whether your uncle is going to be there or not. You are going to go so I can at least see my little girl happy for one night." Mikael said kissing my forehead. "Now get your dresses out and let's decide which one you are going to wear tonight while on Mr. Salvatore's arm."

I rolled my eyes but complied. I had a feeling that Mikael was worried something was going to happen but he wasn't letting on. After going through dress after dress and deciding on which one I would wear that night I disappeared to go find Rebekah. I wanted to make sure she didn't need any help finishing up only to find her on the floor with Elena hovering over her.

"So are you going to stake me too?" I asked leaning against the door frame of Stefan's room.

"Asa, I… I didn't…" Elena said staring up at me.

"I know, Elena… But all she wanted was to go to the dance." I said staring at my aunt's body laying lifeless on the floor. "She really wouldn't have turned on any of you."

Just as I was turning to leave and go back to Damon's room, he made his appearance. I couldn't even look him in the eyes as I made my way downstairs.

I left the house before everyone else for the homecoming dance after Caroline had called and told us it had been moved to Tyler's house. It wasn't long before Nik found me at the beer pong table kicking all the guys' asses.

"So my niece knows how to play this stupid drinking game," he said looking at her.

"Yeah, I do," I answered easily beating my fifth opponent of the night. "What's up with the live band? Who did you have to compel to get them?"

"Well I figured celebrating Mikael's death this way would make it sting less."

"And you're full of yourself," I sighed turning to look at him. "I spent three hours holed up in my room crying my eyes out before Caroline told me to get my ass dressed and to the homecoming dance."

"Well it's better for you than hiding in your room," Nik said kissing my forehead. "You look absolutely beautiful, sweetheart."

"Thank you, Uncle Nik," I whispered before disappearing off into the crowd outside. I could feel Nik's hybrids watching my every move. I don't know how I managed to miss everything that had gone on but when I went back to the boarding house to find Damon…. He wasn't alone.

"What's going on, Nik?" I asked slowly walking into the room.

"One, I want to know where Rebekah is and your little boy toy doesn't know apparently. Two, I want you out of this house. I have a place for us to stay. And three, Mikael is dead," Nik answered. It wasn't hard to know exactly what he considered important.

"Well the answer to number one I don't even know so you are out of luck on that. As for two, I'm not leaving this house. And three… Well there ya go. Just kill all the people I love why don't you!" I yelled and I was by his side in a flash. Damon moved to grab me but Nik shook his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Nik said before turning me to look him in the eye. I knew what was coming and there was no way to stop it. "_**Now, Asariel, I want you forget that you were ever in love with Damon Salvatore. Or that you even knew him. Is that clear?**_"

"Yes, Uncle Nik." I answered.

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

I couldn't believe that Klaus had even gone that far. In no time her things were packed and out of the house. When Elena finally showed back up at the house I was near the point of no return with my drinking.

"How did this happen?" She asked staring at me.

"I thought of everything, Elena! Klaus having hyrbids. Mikael turning on us. We even brought in Katherine so you weren't in any danger… Asariel didn't even know what the plan was so that nothing to get screwed up or Klaus would take her from us! Anything that could have gone wrong, we were prepared for!" I started finishing my glass of bourbon off and slamming it on the table to refill it.

"I don't understand. Stefan wanted Klaus dead more than anything. That's what we were counting on." Elena said staring at me.

"We blew it." I said staring at the fireplace. Elena was quiet for a few seconds and then looked at me.

"Where's Katherine? And better yet where is Asariel?" She asked staring at me.

"She ran for the hills like usual the minute things get bad. And who blames her! Klaus would have crushed her! And Asariel? Klaus showed up here and fucking compelled her to forget me… Right in front of me!" I yelled grabbing the bottle of bourbon and going to the fire place. "I had Klaus. This could have all been over!"

In seconds the bottle of bourbon was broken in the fire place. I was ready to break down.

"Damon… Damon!" Elena finally made me face her. All I wanted was to go after Asariel but God only knew where Klaus had taken her. "We'll survive this. We always survive. Trust me."

"We're never getting Stefan back… Or Asariel." I said quietly. "You know that, don't you?"

"Then we'll let them go. Okay?" Elena said staring me straight in the eye. "We'll have to let them go."

After my little chat with Katherine I disappeared into my room. Klaus hadn't gotten everything of Asariel's and I quickly grabbed the only thing I had left of her, her favorite stuffed panda. I think I fell asleep crying that night like the night my mother died.


	18. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: **I apologize for this being so short... And I'm just... Eh.. Issues here lately. Anyways. Skipping an episode.. Because I wanna leave it in tact. Asa will react to all of Caroline's birthday drama in chapter 18... but it won't be during everything. I hope you all enjoy this stupidly short chapter.. Which sucks... READ AND REVIEW!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

Asariel was busily yelling at my hybrids, telling them how to do their jobs around the house. She was better at dictating orders for house building than I was. She'd specifically designed the house so that each of our family members were kept far apart but we would all have easy access to each other.

"I'm going out for a little while," I said kissing her forehead before heading for the door.

"Pick up some take out while you are out. I'm starved." She said smiling at me. I nodded quietly as I headed out the front door.

After my little trip to the grill to propose my deal with Elena and all of them, I went over to the boarding house. I needed to have a little chat with Damon.

"I think it's about time we had a drink, don't you?" I asked walking into the foyer/living room.

"I'd say we were overdue." Damon answered, death like glare fixed firmly on his face.

"Well you've been so busy and what with all your plotting and scheming."

"You know me, never miss a chance to plan an epic failure." Damon said drinking his bourbon.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Who could have guessed your own brother would betray you." I said smirking. "Or that you'd lose your girlfriend because of it."

"Well I did have a front row seat when your sister lied to you." Damon answered.

"Yeah well, she's fickle that one." I said shrugging. "Asariel takes after her…. Are you sure you don't know where Rebekah is?"

"That's the thing with younger siblings. You just never know what they're going to do." Damon laughed. "And too bad you compelled Asa to forget me and all that because she might have been able to tell you."

"You'll do well to remember who is the stronger one in this situation… And that the only way she'll ever remember you is if I deem it fit for her to have her memories back… Also I suggest finding out where your brother has stored the rest of my family." I said before heading back to the house. Of course I had to stop and get takeout for Asa before I made it back.

"You're finally back.. Have fun mingling with the common folk?" She asked not looking up from the canvas she was working on. Although she'd never been able to reach my talent, she still loved to draw and it had never stopped her from painting beautiful sceneries.

"Don't I always?" I chuckled as I sat the bag next to her. I sat down next to her, watching as our hybrids worked on the house. "What are you painting?"

"The fields at the house in Galway," Asa answered. "I thought Finn might like it in his room when we wake him up."

"Of course he will," I said smiling into her hair. And for once it wasn't a lie. I knew my niece far too well and she understood all of my siblings better than I did some days. She knew Finn would love the painting, even if he was angry with me. "Now why don't you go make sure my hybrids are doing things the way you want them so that the house is renovated on time?"

"Okay, Uncle Nik," she said smiling happily and disappearing into the house.

That evening I met Elena at the boarding house to strike a new bargain and pick up Rebekah…. I also found Asariel in the front yard speaking with Damon.

"Inside, sweetheart," I said quietly looking at him. "And what did the cat drag you here for?"

"You realize although she doesn't remember, there still a spark that she's going to feel when I'm around her." Damon said glaring at me.

"Of course I do.. But she'll shake it off as nerves. She always has… Like I said, fickle thing that one," I laughed before heading inside.

"Just wait, Klaus… when she remembers what you've done to our relationship… You're going to wish you'd just let her be." Damon called out as I walked inside. Part of the house was already finished… Well the part that Asa and I currently inhabiting.

"I may wish I'd let her be in the end… But I love her. And nothing will change that." I answered him before slamming the door shut.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

While Uncle Nik had been gone that day, I'd spent most of my time preparing for the Wiccan New Year. It had been my favorite holiday for so long… It didn't help that Caroline's birthday was the next day. I'd been so wrapped up in being with Nik again that apparently it had slipped my mind. So I'd of course made to go shopping for her…. Only to run into Stefan Salvatore's brother.

"Asariel?" He had called. _How does he know my name?_

"Do I know you?" I asked staring at him. Suddenly I felt chills up my spine. It felt as if Grandmama was interfering… Or the spirits in general were interfering.

"You do… But you don't remember…"

"That doesn't make sens…"

"Inside, sweetheart," Uncle Nik said interrupting me. "Go on, get inside. Can't have you getting sick."

I rolled my eyes before complying. That night I spent hours trying to contact Grandmother on the other side…

I needed answers…

And I doubted that Nik would be supplying them any time soon.


	19. Chapter 18

**Author's note: **Okay I lied in the last chapter.. I skipped a couple episodes… So basically skipping them means that _everything_ went on as in the episode without Asariel's involvement. She's been hiding at Klaus' mansion… She's till pissed at him for the Caroline thing. **Also there is a poll on my bio page so please go and vote. I want to know what everyone is cheering for in the sense of the ending of this story.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

The past few days had been a blur. I wasn't the happiest camper either. Uncle Nik had ruined Caroline's birthday by commanding Tyler to bite her… And had made it worse because Tyler felt horrible and had left town to try and break the sire bond. I'd either been outside shooting things with my new camera—Nik's way of trying to fix things when I was upset with him hadn't changed a bit— or hiding in the sound proof music room playing. I'd come home from a night out just in time to find Papa and Nik at each other's throats… Not a surprising thing even for me. I'd grown immune to it all too long ago.

Nik made an attempt to speak to me but I just turned on my heels and stalked up the stairs. Papa would find me when and if he wanted to speak to me… Nik was still out of my good graces. It was near midnight when the door for my bedroom cracked open. I heard the familiar sound of Elijah's footsteps on the carpet of my room. I didn't move, still to groggy from the early bit of sleep. The bed shifted with his weight as he sat down. His hand slowly ran up my left arm, finally pulling me from the last lingering bits of sleep.

"Papa," I whispered turning to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Asariel," he said looking down at me. The look on his face was so melancholy.

"Papa, would you… Would you read to me?" I asked quietly moving to get comfortable with him in my bed.

"Read to you?" He asked, surprised. I think was the first time we'd really ever spoken reasonably to each other. "I thought that was Niklaus' job."

"I'm angry with him currently," I answered looking up at him. "Besides, can we not try to fix our relationship?"

I swore I thought I saw a smile on his face before he got up and moved to get a book from my shelf. He brought back what he seemed to know was my favorite, a French Novel that Finn had gotten me for my birthday one year. That was the first night I drifted off to sleep to Elijah's voice. And I didn't regret it.

I woke up the next morning to the smell of a normal breakfast. And then I realized how odd that was. Niklaus didn't cook and he hated that I ate the human stuff as it was. I slipped into my unneeded robe and disappeared down the stairs to find Elijah in the kitchen. Even after I had become a hybrid, he would occasionally cook for me.

"Morning," he said smiling. I couldn't help a small smile as I sat down at the counter.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of breakfast?" I asked looking over at him.

"I need a favor from you. Niklaus has disappeared from the house for the day… I believe he is planning something. And I need you to help me with a new wardrobe… And possibly a haircut." Elijah said as he placed a plate in front of me. "I hope eggs and sausage are still your favorite."

"They are," I answered before digging in. "And I will gladly help you with your wardrobe.. Sticking to suits and such or can we splurge and actually get you jeans and t-shirts?" I was surprisingly in a good mood and I was going to go with it. What could go wrong?

"How are you and Damon?" He asked. I'm pretty sure the confused look answered his question. "Ah… I suppose Niklaus has something to do with that."

"I don't know Damon other than he is Stefan's brother." I answered. I left my plate half full, suddenly feeling sick.

"Definitely Niklaus' handiwork," Elijah said taking my plate. "I take it you're finished."

I nodded before disappearing up to my room. I quickly pulled the old family Ouija board from under my bed. I didn't have time for candles or any other preparation to keep unwanted spirits at bay. I quietly murmured the spell that would allow me to connect to the witches on the other side. Grandmother was still refusing my calls at that point… I needed answers. And with the way the spirits were reacting to my cries, I was certainly going to be getting them by the end of the night.

I joined Elijah, Niklaus, Stefan, and Damon for dinner that night… Sitting inbetween Niklaus and papa like a little lap dog… I felt more like I was being showed off than participating in the discussion at dinner. I decided about half way through the dinner to excuse myself and hide in my bedroom. Damon's stare had become too much for me.

* * *

><p><strong>Elijah's P.O.V.<strong>

Asariel had excused herself from dinner. I was certain that Niklaus had compelled her to forget that she was in love with Damon. I'd left them alone because she was happy. Despite the thousand years of my ignoring her, I did care for my daughter. I wanted her to be happy again. The table grew slightly quiet after her departure so I quickly made an attempt to start the conversation back up.

"Stefan, where is the lovely Elena tonight?" I asked, relaxed.

"I don't know. Ask Damon," Stefan answered nonchalantly. Klaus began laughing before answering the confused look on my face.

"I'm sorry. You've missed so much. Uh.. Trouble in paradise," Klaus said with a smirk on his face. No doubt it was his fault.

"One more word about Elena… And this dinner is over." Stefan said, a threatening tone in his voice.

"It's probably best to just keep Elena in the 'Do Not Discuss' pile." Damon suggested with a smug smirk on his face.

"You're probably right," Klaus admitted before continuing on. "It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger is still so strong. What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"

"Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?" I asked sitting my napkin on the table.

"Given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests may be curious about learn about the originator of the Petrova blood line." Klaus suggested. I was hoping to ignore it.

"We're not going anywhere, Elijah. Please, do tell." Damon said smirking. I think he really wanted to ask questions pertaining to my relationship with Asariel's mother but Klaus would have put a stop to that in an instant.

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia. She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor even though she'd had a child by another man. None loved her more than Niklaus." I explained.

"I'd say there was one that loved her at least as much," Klaus said, face blank as he looked to me.

"Wait a minute, so you both loved her?" Stefan asked.

"Our mother was a very powerful witch. She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night that our mother performed a spell of which turned us into vampires." I said calmly. "Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us so for a time Niklaus and I grew estranged. Harsh words were traded… We even came to blows, didn't we brother?"

"But in the end we recognized the sacred bond of family."

"Family above all," I said reaching for my wine glass.

The dinner finally drew to a close, Klaus' proposal on the table. Damon and I came back after undaggering my other siblings.

"Elijah, why haven't you left?" Klaus asked as we came in, one of the blonde help holding the tray with the daggers on it.

"Where are your manners, brother? We forgot dessert," I said smirking as I pulled the cloth from the tray.

"What have you done, Elijah?" He asked, fear in his eyes.

"No, what have you done? See I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus." I said looking around the room. "We're doing this on my terms now."

Kol came in from behind me, the fear in Klaus' eyes growing.

"Kol," Klaus said, his hands going up as if to say wait as he back away from him.

"Long time, brother," Kol said smirking. Klaus made to grab one of the daggers but Finn beat him there, grabbing one up.

"Finn, don't," but the words came too late. Finn quickly stuck one through the hand Klaus had reached out to grab him with. Klaus made to leave through the other door, but Rebekah stopped him.

"Rebekah," he said the fear in his voice was unnerving but so sweet. She quickly daggered him in the stomach.

"This is for our mother." She said before letting it go and walking over to join us as Kol held Klaus still.

"You're free to go," I said to Damon and Stefan. "This is family business."

After they left we began our little torture session. Asariel never came down and I hoped that she wouldn't. I didn't want her to see the truth.. The anger in us all at Niklaus.

"I like what you've done with the place, Nik," Rebekah said before smashing a vase into one of his large paintings on the opposite wall.

"I wanted it to be for all of us," he confessed. He looked as if he were about to cry. "A place we could all call home. A place we could all be a family. None of us would ever have to be alone again."

"Well you're right. None of us will be," I said walking past him. Kol and Finn followed me to join Rebekah.

"You're staying behind." Finn explained.

"We're leaving you, Nik," Rebekah said. "Right after I kill that doppelgänger wench. Then you will be alone. Always and forever."

"One problem with your theory dear sister… I still have Asariel. She will never leave my side." Niklaus said. I knew better. She would leave with one of us. "And if you run, I will hunt all of you down."

"And then you'll become everything you hate: our father." I said, small smirk in place.

"I'm the hybrid. I can't be killed!" Klaus was throwing a tantrum because he wasn't getting his way. It wasn't unusual. "I have nothing to fear from any of you."

"You will when we have that coffin." I said staring at him.

Suddenly the front door opened, and we all turned to see who it was. I noticed Asariel on the stairs, still in her dress from the evening. She was the first out of all of us to speak.

"Grandmama," she whispered, her heels clattering on the floor as she ran for my mother. Her arms encircled the woman, tears streaming down her face.

"Mother," Rebekah whispered in shock. None of the rest of us seemed to be able to find our tongues.

Mother gently smiled as Asariel, kissing her forehead before pushing her away. She walked past us, towards Niklaus. He looked frightened out of his mind. I felt Asariel come to stand beside me on the stairs, her hand slipping into mine. Klaus couldn't look our mother in the eye.

"Look at me," she demanded staring at Niklaus. She'd never backed down.. Not even from father. When Niklaus finally looked her in the eye, she continued. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"You've come to kill me," he said simply as she stood before him.

"Niklaus, you are my son. And I am here to forgive you," she said simply before turning to look at all of us. We were all still in shock from not just her words, but her entrance as well. "I want us to be a family again."

Asariel took no time in going to stand with her and Niklaus, mother pulling her into another hug. I was wary of my mother… She never did something without planning… And she'd had a thousand years on the other side to plan this.


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: **This chapter was partially written to "Give Me Love" by Ed Sherran and "Cry" by Reba. Please enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

Thankfully Grandmama had given me back my full memories the night of her return. So I no longer forgot that Damon and I were together. But that wasn't all. Rebekah had gone after Elena and was now driving me insane. Grandmother had given me back my memories. I had a lot of mending to do with Damon which had me in the temperament of not wanting to attend Grandmother's ball that night. But she had begged with me go. I was sitting on the couch with Rebekah, having my feet down as Uncle Nik stormed in.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked coming over to the couch.

"Here we go," she said smugly. I rolled my eyes as the pedicurist and manicurist finished with my toes and fingers.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" He asked staring at her.

"Again with the dagger threats?" Kol asked sitting down. I got up and started towards Uncle Nik's art room. I needed something to preoccupy myself from the next argument.

I sat quietly, sketching another dress idea. I'd been bored and had taken to drawing dress designs for myself.

"Asariel," Esther called to me later on when she had finished with Uncle Nik. "Who do you plan on inviting to the ball this evening?"

"Since you sent one to Elena… I'm pretty sure Damon will be here… Although I'm not sure he'll want to speak to me after the things I did while Nik had compelled me to forget him." I said quietly, sketching the house we had lived in when we had lived in the Italian country side.

"Darling, he knew you were compelled to forget him… Why wouldn't he forgive you?" She asked tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. "From what your father tells me, he does love you… Considering all that he did to protect you from Niklaus when he first arrived here in town."

"Yes, and now look where it has gotten us. My best friends are all hurting because of my family! Grandmama, it isn't right… And I know that they don't blame me, but they don't trust me all the same." I cried turning to face her, the pencil that had been in my hand rolled to the floor. "How am I to be happy again when all my family has done is caused pain? How?"

"Dear, just as I've told Niklaus, forgiveness takes patience and time." She said smiling at me. She placed an invitation in my hand. "Now take this to Damon, in person.. And ask him to be your date for the ball."

"Okay," I said quietly, smiling as she kissed my forehead. "But it'll have to wait until after lunch. I promised Caroline and Elena that I would meet them at the grill."

"Of course, your friends should come first, darling. Have fun." Esther said, her smile growing just a bit more.

I went up to my room to get my jacket from my room when a knock came on the opened door. It was Elijah.

"I was hoping we could have a quick talk… Unless I'll make you late," he said as grabbed my purse.

"No, we don't have a set time. And if worse comes to worst I'll just run to the grill instead of driving." I said going over to him. "Should I do a privacy.."

"Yes please," he said coming into my room and closing the door. I grabbed a bit of bound sage and lit it, making sure to keep it burning.

"What's wrong, papa?" I asked turning to face him.

"I… I'm not sure of your grandmother's intentions at this point and time, Asariel. I know that it seems as if she has forgiven Niklaus but.."

"You're worried that she might have something else in mind." I said quietly, already knowing the unlimited possibilities that lay before us. "I've had the same fears, papa… But she can't keep much from the spirits… or me. One way or another I will find out."

"I know, Asariel.. I just fear that… That she'll try to kill us all. And you know what happens if she does that." Elijah said. I could only nod.

"I won't let it happen." I said before putting the sage out. "I'll be back later after my hair appointment, Papa."

"Of course, sweetheart," he said smiling. Yes, we'd mended our relationship. It was still uneasy but we had each other no matter what happened. "Good luck with Damon."

After seeing Aunt Rebekah invite Matt to the ball, I'd been a little upset. But I'd still managed to keep a smile on my face when I arrived at the boarding house. I walked in, the door unlocked.

"Damon!" I called out, looking around. I half expected him to be standing in the living room with a glass of bourbon.

"What do you want?" He asked staring at me. Apparently he hadn't heard the good news.

"Grandmother broke Nik's compulsion, Damon." I said smiling.

"And why should I be happy about that?" He asked walking over to me. I looked at the ground, biting my lip nervously.

"I…" I quietly held up the invitation with his name on it. "I wanted to give you this invitation to the ball tonight… And ask you if you'd be my date."

"I'm going with Elena tonight to protect her from your psycho family… I don't think I'll have much time for you." He said, his voice snarky.

"Oh," I whispered. "I didn't know… I guess I'll just… Leave you to get ready then." I literally bit my lip so hard that I was bleeding but I wasn't going to cry in front of him. I started for the door when I felt his hand on mine, holding me still. "Let go." I growled.

"I'm sorry for the way that came out, Asa… Baby, please, don't be upset.. I just don't want you to lose your best friend." He begged as I turned to face him.

"Too late," I said before walking out the door. The truth was in his eyes. He loved Elena… And I was just second fiddle.

* * *

><p><strong>Damon's P.O.V.<strong>

I'd come to the stupid party early, hoping to find Asariel early on in the party so that I could try to make amends, but that wasn't going to happen. She'd had at least one of her uncles with her all night, mainly Klaus. And if she'd mentioned what had happened when she'd given me my invite to the party, he was going to be gunning for my heart. I'd already met Kol, who she seemed to favor the least.

She was beautiful though. The red dress she wore…. I hadn't been able to take my eyes off of her. It favored Rebekah's dress to a point, but had a slit up to her thigh that exposed her newly tanned legs. The top was a sweetheart cut and it was sleeveless. I knew that that night, I would have killed to take her home with me just to take her out of it and make my apologies to her the way she would understand them.

She'd already said her hellos to Elena and had briefly stopped while I was talking to Carol Lockwood to say hello. Klaus had abandoned her at some time when Caroline came in so I was certain she'd gone off to find Elijah. The two were starting to seem unsettlingly closer than usual. We were standing the foyer when Elijah started in on his speech, Asariel on his free arm.

"Welcome and thank you for joining us." He started, my eyes catching Esther as she walked down the stairs to join them. "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this it is tradition to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries old waltz. So if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ball room."

Asariel disappeared with him, her curls falling over her shoulder. Her hair had gotten much longer since her return from Chicago. It was almost as long as Elena's. I'd ended up picking her as my dance partner since Asariel was staying far away from me. As the waltz began, I recognized the song that was playing. She'd jammed it once while we'd been riding around in her car. It was appropriate for tonight. She'd probably picked it because of how I had acted when she'd invited me to the ball.

* * *

><p><strong>Asariel's P.O.V.<strong>

Papa led me in the waltz that I had only seen as a child. I'd never been old enough to learn it and by the time that I was, it had gone out of style.

"Don't look now, but you have a certain Salvatore brother drooling." Elijah said with a smile. "What happened early this evening when you asked him to be your date?"

"He turned me down." I said quietly, not revealing the part where I had seen the love he had for Elena in his eyes. When it came time for us to switch partners, I somehow ended up with Damon.

"I'm sorry for earlier," he whispered, holding me close.

"Sorry doesn't cut it when you love some other girl a.k.a., my best friend that you're supposedly protecting tonight from my family." I growled as he led us across the floor.

"How can you accuse me of that?" He asked staring at me.

"Your eyes said it all when you mentioned her. You do realize that we all have our special talents as originals… Mine just happens to be reading people.. And it doesn't help that I'm a witch, Damon." I answered pulling away from him as the waltz ended. "I suggest making your mind up, Mr. Salvatore… Or else you may have more than Elena to be worrying about."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked following me out of the ballroom.

"It means you'll have four very angry original men after you, Damon… Kol and Finn may not act like they care, but they do. And they'd kill to protect me…. Even from heart break." I said glaring at him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go say hi to Matt before Rebekah steals him for the night and I don't see him until I go to the grill tomorrow for lunch."

I knew it was probably the worst thing I had done to him since killing Andie, but he needed to decide. I quietly went about my evening until I noticed Elena and Stefan had left after Damon's little outburst. Rebekah was nowhere to be found. I didn't care at the moment. I got in my car and went to Elena's, waiting until Stefan had left to get out. I was still in my dress from the party as I ran up to the house and knocked on the door.

"Asariel… What are you doing here?" She asked surprised to see me. She was out of her dress and in her pajamas.

"I… We need to talk… Please?" I asked, tears slowly rolling down my cheeks.

* * *

><p><strong>Elena's P.O.V.<strong>

It had been a while since our last slumber party, and I knew this wasn't going to be a normal one. I could tell something had happened today from the way she had been avoiding Damon like the plague.

"Asariel, what's wrong? What happened?" I asked as I moved to let her in the house.

"Damon.. He…" She whispered quietly before breaking down. I pulled her into a hug. Despite the hell I'd been through because of her family, she was still my best friend and I was going to be there for her.

"Damon what?" I asked as I led her to the couch. "What did he do?"

"He's in love with you, Elena…. And he won't even admit it to himself!" She said looking at me. "He… He turned me down when I asked him to be my date to the ball tonight.. He said he was going to be busy protecting you and he wouldn't have time for me… He doesn't want me anymore…"

"It's okay, Asa," I whispered holding her as she cried. "Why don't you come upstairs with me? We'll slumber it out, okay?"

She quietly nodded, her make up streaking down her face. I knew I'd have to have a chat with Damon over this. He had already hurt her before, and he wasn't doing it again if I could help it.


End file.
